New Yorkers are in for a treat this holiday
season as Nordstrom has finally opened the flagship location of our
dreams. Nordstrom doors are now open and located at 224 West 57th Street,
across from the Men's Store. The new store occupies the base of Central Park
Tower, the tallest residential building in the world. Customers can now shop
320,000 square-feet of retail space across seven-levels in the heart of the
city. Nordstrom NYC represents the biggest and best statement of what the brand
has to offer.
The best part about Nordstrom NYC? Easily the Nordstrom Beauty
Haven. Beauty lovers can indulge in an array of beauty services
featuring 110 unique branded services from Anastasia Beverly Hills, Base Coat,
Blink Brow Bar, Drybar, FaceGym, Heyday, Kate Somerville,
The Light Salon, Nordstrom Spa, Sisley Paris and St. Tropez. Customers can
customize their experience whether they have 30 minutes or three hours and
be pampered from head to toe. Services can be booked online at
nordstrom.com/nyc.
It's that time again! Fashion week is upon us here in NYC and everyone is super excited for the new trends to come, what everyone will be wearing and of course, FASHION'S NIGHT OUT. Now, I took part in Fashion's Night out last year for the first time and it was amazing. If you're in the NYC area, you definitely have to come out and join the fun. If you're not in the NYC area, don't worry, they may be some events by you as well. Check out the official site for FNO here.
For those of you who have never experienced FNO and are going, "What in the world is FNO?" Don't worry, we're gonna cover that. Fashion's Night out is a "global initiative" that begin in 2009 and a partnership between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the city of New York. It's a night to celebrate fashion, boost our economy, restore the confidence in consumers and get the fun part of shopping back!
FNO normally starts at 6 pm and ends around 11 pm. Certain locations host events early and have little giveaways in the morning, but none are really advertised that way. If you have a favorite brand or store, I'd call them and ask them if they're having any earlier events. FNO also has a official collection of merchandise that launches every year. It includes bags, shirts and more. You can buy those products here.
For all your Gleeks out there: Glee made a music video for FNO
Here are the steps to having a successful FNO night:
1. Download the FREE FNO NY app for your Android or iPhone. This will be an essential tool in figuring out what event is near you, where you wanna be and help set up your game plan for the evening. Last year, I did all this research and ending up printing about five pages worth of events. It was a pain to carry and keep looking at.
2. Figure out what your goal is for FNO: Is it for killer sales?! Is it for the free food & drinks? Is it for all the celebrities? Once you figure out what is it you want to see then you can narrow it down further. The celebrity locations are usually the craziest places to be BUT can be the most fun.
3. Dress appropriate: If you wanna wear heels, be my guest. The weather is awful in NYC right now, so I suggest some fashionable rain boots. Bring a small bag if you can. You don't wanna be carrying a lot of stuff especially with the large crowds.
4. Transportation: Figure out how to get to all the stops you'd like to hit and how you're gonna get there. It's gonna be insanely hard to catch a cab. Buses, trains & walking are the best option.
5. Have fun & shop a little. You deserve it :)
Now this Fashion Night's Out, N.Y.C. is hosting hundreds of events (literally) so figuring out where and what you wanna do is a bit challenging. I've been getting tons of emails and having friends constantly ask, "Where should I go?" The answer is: It's up to YOU. It goes back up to step 2. Get a game plan together and figured out what you want so you're not overwhelmed.
Here's a list of some of the events creating some buzz:
Where: Exclusive bus ride at the corner of 59th and 8th Avenue (it's free!)
Why: Barbie partnered with four designers for her scavenger hunt. Ride the free Gray Line double-decker buses and stop at participating stores: Alice + Olivia, Alexis Bittar, Tracy Reese, and Rogan. There is also a hunt going on: Find the Barbie-size version of the fashions each designer has created for Barbie. Enter the QR code and be entered to win the outfit for yourself. Woo hoo.
What: DASH Store Party
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 8 pm
Where: Soho at 119 Spring St (between Mercer St & Greene St)
Why: D.J. Pauly D will be DJing all night and Kim Kardashian will be making an appearance.
WARNING: This will be probably be extremely crowded. Get there early.
What: SAKS Fifth Ave
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 11 pm
Where: 611 5th Avenue
Why: Every floor has different events to chose from changing every hour! Appearances by Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera, Bobbi Brown, Fredrick Fekkai and tons more!
What: Chanel
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 8 pm
Where: 139 Spring Street/15 East 57th
Why: Alexa Chung will host a special DJ set at the brand's Soho store. 57th St will be hosting a make-your-own handbag studio. Customized Chanel Handbag anyone? + Chanel is launching three limited edition blue nail polishes for FNO. With the purchase of a polish, you get a free manicure.
What: Nars Boutique
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 10 pm (Francois will be there from 7 - 9)
Where: 413 Bleecker Street (between Bank and West 11th Streets)
Why: Francois Nars will be mingling and signing special 413 Bleeker merchandise for NARS lovers. Two limited edition products will also be available for purchase: Via Crispi Larger That Life Long-Wear Eyeliner and Space Odyssey Nail Polish that were created exclusively for Fashion's Night out.
What: Sephora
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 11 pm
Where: All Sephora locations in the city
Why: Sephora is jammed packed with tons of events to attend at all their locations. For a complete list check out their blog here. My suggestions? Visit Sephora 5th Avenue to see Solange Knowles D.J., head over to Sephora Time Square (7th Ave) to meet Kristin Bauer from True Blood while Kat Von D & Linda Perry perform, check out the new Bite Beauty line at 711 Lexington with two new exclusive sets for fall and play with Make Up For Ever lashes at Sephora Soho. New York fashionistas are given the chance to create their own custom lashes at their first-ever Fashion's Night Out "Lash Lounge."
What: Christopher Street Block Party
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 11 pm
Where: Christopher St. between Waverly St & Greenwich Ave.
Why: They'll be food, alcohol and designers.
What: Michael Angelo's Wonderland Beauty Parlor
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 p.m. to 11 pm
Where: 418 W. 13th St. between Ninth Ave. & Washington St.
Why: All about lips! From lipstick portraits, flavor paper digital wallpapers to scratch-and-sniff stickers. + cocktails of course.
What: Yves Saint Laurant
When: Thursday, September 8, from 7 to 10 pm
Where: 3 East 57th St
Why: Ms. Nicki Minah herself will be there playing hostess and honoring the launch of YSL's Cabas Chyc handbag.
What: Tiffany & Co.
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 11 pm
Where: 727 Fifth Ave.
Why: Leighton Meester from Gossip Girl will be joining her band, Check in the Dark, for a performance to celebrate the launch of Tiffany's Era collection.
What: Kiehl's Flagship Store
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 11 pm
Where: 109 Third Avenue at 13th Street
Why: Karaoke, Cocktails, Carnival & AJ McLean from BSB will be singing at 6:30 + raffle prizes and surprise celebrity performances.
What: Teen Vogue Block Party Essie
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 10 pm
Where: Bleecker Street & West 11th Street
Why: Teen Vogue will be taking over Bleecker Street at 11th Street and inviting girls to come out for a Fashion’s Night Out block party that will include free manicures from Essie, among other fun elements. Essie’s celebrity manicurist, Elle Gerstein, will also be on hand to talk nails with the girls and dish on her celebrity clients’ favorite nail looks.
What: INGLOT'S Mini Red Carpet Makeovers
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 9 pm
Where: 1592 Broadway
Why: Get glamorized at INGLOT Cosmetics for Fashion’s Night Out. Enjoy cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres + mini makeovers.
What: Macy's Herald Square
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 to 9 pm
Where: 151 West 34th St
Why: Macy's is probably one of the most talked about events of this FNO. They've got tons of celebrities lined up, performances + special events: You don't wanna miss Kelly Rowland and a special performance by Joss Stone at 7!
What: Make Up For Ever Lash Bar at Christian Louboutin
When: Thursday, September 8, from 6 pm
Where: 59 Horatio Street
Why: Eyelashes are really just the beginning at Louboutin. In addition to a lash bar stocked with custom Loub creations for Make Up For Ever, the store will also offer hair styling from Frederic Fekkai. And then there are the two limited-edition items: The Dafodile Brodee platform pump and the Sweety Charity Brodee cross-body bag.
Other events you may want to check out:
Want Free Food? Check out this great post from ny.racked.com on the 10 best places to eat on Fashion's Night Out. Vera Wang even has an ice cream truck going around the city. Can you say yum?
Will you guys be attending Fashion's Night Out? Where are your plans?
Vincent Longo recently had an event at a nearby Space NK on July 21st & July 22nd. I stopped by to check out some of their new products and mingle with a few of their artists. Everyone was super sweet and talented. We talked about Vincent Longo's amazing product line and new collection. I recently reviewed their new Galaxy collection here: part 1/part 2. I left with some new knowledge of the brand and some new products to add to my wishlist. I'm definitely interested in their foundation. We tried some on and then I walked out in the crazy summer heat we've been having and it wore really well. I definitely recommend everyone to check out the next Vincent Longo event near you. Also, check out the brand if you haven't yet. All of their products are really amazing and long wearing. I love the way they look in photos especially. I will featuring a LOTD soon with this brand. You can purchase the full line at Vincent Longo and Space NK.
I met two of Vincent's top makeup artists: Sacha & Jasmin. They were so friendly and very talented! If you ever need your makeup done for any special occasion, Sacha does freelance on the side. Her website is hereif you'd love to learn more about her.
"I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it."
— Alexander McQueen
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). My girlfriend surprised me with tickets (she's the best!) since I'm kind of a museum junkie and I've been talking about my desire to attend this exhibit for a while. We went on a Sunday and it was extremely crowded. We ended up waiting for an hour just to get in on a HUGE line, but it was definitely worth it.
We passed this on the line.
It was probably one of the most of the exciting and intriguing exhibits I've ever attended. My girlfriend described it as "creepy". I would describe it as "haunting, enticing and inspiring." Alexander McQueen is known for his high energy fashion shows and his way of taking fashion beyond the point of imagination.
There are six main areas in total to view. The first area is titled "The Romantic Mind" and is fully made of concrete. It was surrounded by his most famous quotes and famous outfits such as Coat, Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims and his "Bumster Skirt: Highland Rape." For McQueen, the most exciting part of anybody's body was the bottom of the spine. These "bumsters" were all about showcasing that part of the body.
The second area is titled "Romantic Gothic and Cabinet of Curiosities." This was probably one of the darkest rooms of the entire exhibit. As soon as you enter, eerie music plays and a display of McQueen's famous Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious literally blew you away.
Another outfit I found extremely interesting was Dress, No. 13. The creation of this dress was probably one of the most memorable moment of any of his runway shows. Two robots spray-painted a dress worn by the gorgeous Shalom Harlow.
The third area is titled "Romantic Nationalism." This room display Alexander McQueen's love of Scottish heritage with favorites like Dress, Widows of Culloden.
“The reason I’m patriotic about Scotland is because I think it’s been dealt a really hard hand. It’s marketed the world over as . . . haggis . . . bagpipes. But no one ever puts anything back into it.”
The fourth area is titled "Romantic Exoticism." This was one of my favorite rooms because it focused on themes and traditions. He loved the idea of exotic and historicism. This area featured Ensemble, It's Only a Game and many others.
“I want to be honest about the world that we live in, and sometimes my political persuasions come through in my work. Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes. . . . That’s mundane and it’s old hat. Let’s break down some barriers.”
The fifth area is titled "Romantic Primitivism." This room had a feeling of natural and animalistic. It featured his famous latex dress with locusts, his statement on famine, and even pieces that were coated in mud. A few looks featured were Coat, Eshu and Bodysuit, It's a Jungle Out There.
The sixth and final area was titled "Romantic Naturalism." Nature was one of McQueen's most influencing ideas within his work. He loved using raw materials from the natural world for his fashion pieces. This final area, for me, reflected upon the future of fashion and how powerful it can be. His final collection before he passed, Plato's Atlantis, was probably his most famous. Here's how McQueen described his collection -
“[This collection predicted a future in which] the ice cap would melt . . . the waters would rise and . . . life on earth would have to evolve in order to live beneath the sea once more or perish. Humanity [would] go back to the place from whence it came.”
This room was very popular for most as it featured Lady Gaga's famous look in her Bad Romance video.
My question is how on earth did they walk in those heels?! Holy crap.
WOW... I'd probably break my legs... seriously.
I definitely recommend everyone to go see this exhibit if you haven't already BUT It can get extremely crowded. My suggestion would be to attend the exhibit in the morning or on a weekday. The entrance closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The do also have special Met Mondays with McQueen where you can view the exhibit after the museum is closed. Also, if you're a member of the Met, you can skip the line (nice...)
Here are some silly photos of my girlfriend at the museum...
"Put your paws up. I'm Lady Gaga."
"Roarrrrrrrr"
Nice buns ;)
Another side note - You HAVE to visit this Sigmund PretzelCart if you go to the Met. Omg. Yummy.
I'd like to take this opportunity to let everyone know about a fun filled event coming up on the 22nd of June. NYC New York Color and Mathew Nigara present "Sizzling Summer Makeovers" at Duane Reade. Mathew Nigara is a celebrity makeup artist and he's teamed up with NYC New York Color to take over Duane Reade Union Square for a special "makeover" day. Mathew will be demonstrating easy 5 minute sexy summer looks. Guests are welcomed to visit the NYC New York Color Hummer that will be located in front of Duane Reade for a chance to take a "before" photo and then return for an "after" photo once the makeover is complete. All attendees will also be receiving a limited-edition NYC New York Color tote bag (Oooo freebies!) with proof of purchase.
WHO: NYC New York Color
WHAT: Sizzling Summer Makeovers
WHEN: June 22nd, 2011 11:00 am - 3:00 pm WHERE: Duane Reade - Union Square 1 Union Square South New York, NY 10003
For a complete list of all NYC New York Color products visit NYC!
I don't know about anyone else, but I LOVE shopping events. I think they're fun and the perfect excuse to buy a few things. I came across the StyleFixx premier shopping event on a discount site I use often and I said, why not? I dragged my honey along (even though she really didn't want to!) and off we went. To see if their coming to your area visit http://www.stylefixx.com/.
As soon as we got there we were greeted by a few friendly faces, got our drink bands (four free drinks -- woo hoo!), and picked up our gift bags. I'm always excited for gift bags, because you just never know what's inside.
So we went right to the bar (lushes we are-- I know!) and got a drink.
I was little dissappointed by how small the event was. I anticipated it to be larger than it was due to the fact that it was in the same location as the makeup show. Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves.
Here's what we ended up buying:
My girlfriend bought herself a wallet, and some great smelling soaps. I purchased this gorgeous ring seen above.
