October is the perfect month to embrace all things noir, edgy and provocative. Wear it in fur – one of season’s strongest trends – and you’re set for the season.
More for the feet, Alexander Wang’s goat fur boots with a fringe of mane that might even make you think of packing a brush for yourself and your boots (for needed touch-ups, of course).
If fake fur is more your style, try a KTZ trapper hat in white tipped black faux fur.
Creepy, but creepy-cool, is the human hair zip necklace by Bitching and Junkfood. For those home crafters (etsy anyone?)… I can just imagine.
It’s back to school …which conjures images of school uniforms, navy blazers and button down shirts. At this point, if you’re in the uniform club, you’ve got to be craving a little variety. Add a punch of flair to the staid look with a backpack that is worthy of a night out on the town (homework first, of course).
Available from Alexander Wang‘s fall collection, the Sydney backpack is made of wool felt with leather trim in a black/gray vertical stripe or a solid dove gray. A long sash provides a feminine classroom exit and a very of-the-moment detail when tied in a bow. For the gals who already have their diploma in hand, this carry all will add a fresh look to your current collection of satchels, messengers, hobos and totes. Clip a brooch on it in the evening and you’re ready to pull an all-nighter… and we’re not talking at the library.
If Lewis Caroll needed inspiration for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, he surely would have spent time in the Florentine atelier of Aprosio. The shop is a sparkling space filled with crouching creatures, insects about to take flight, flora, reptiles, and a sprinkling of hearts … all fashioned of Bohemian crystal and Murano glass beads.
Aprosio is always on my list of priorities when I am in Florence. Transported not only physically, but sensually, one goes from from the cobblestone alley with its zipping vespas to a space of quiet calm and wondrous imagination. Ornella Aprosio, the talented artisan who is behind the brand, is involved at every step of production… from boarding a boat to cross the Venetian lagoon for micro glass beads (known as “conteria”) to overseeing her team of artisans who form the works of wearable art. As well, she is often found in the shop helping her clientele select pieces.
A Roman, her earliest years were focused on the repair and alteration of vintage clothing, specifically of the 20s and 40s. This period in fashion often celebrated textiles embellished with beads which which sparked her interest in the medium. She eventually relocated to Florence where her passion turned into a thriving business that now reaches as far as Asia and the United States. Ornella opened her first workshop in 1993 in Florence, a small space near the Pitti. The present location, just a few streets away, is spacious and bright and better showcases the crystalline beads and breadth of designs.
Ornella’s designs are made by hand and therefore have variations that make every piece unique. The three dimensional quality of the more complex pieces and the depth achieved with the different methods of production — crochet, knitting, needlepoint, woven into fabric and also threaded yarn with beads — combined with different shapes and colors of beads attests to her expertise. Her designs range from classic shapes to the more extravagant statement pieces that can take weeks to create. The spider’s web, celebrated for its perfection of design and an Italian symbol of fortune and gain, was integrated in Aprosio’s logo and also undescores her consistent interest in nature as an influence in her work.
Best selling pieces are the simple soft bracelet — very wearable — available in a kaleidoscope of colors, a classic knot necklace and sphere earrings. All excellent choices but why go safe? I’d spring for one of the more outrageous pieces encrusted with beaded shells or festooned with beaded cherries.
This fall and winter look for more in silver and metal greens; shades of lilac to dark violet; contrasting ruby red and black in both shiny and matte.
About to head out on my own trip, this latest find is particularly timely. As I set up my bathroom “lab” to squeeze shampoo, conditioner and various lotions and creams into the hodge podge of little plastic travel containers I’ve amassed, this company seems a more sane solution: 3floz.com
The site is dedicated to offering TSA-approved bottles of popular products from cult brands. 3floz.com is the brainchild of two pals – Alexi and Kate — who are frequent travel companions in need of simplified travel preparation and a desire to remain lathered and moisturized in style.
3floz.com carries only Alexi and Kate’s favorite brands. But what a selection! And, they also offer product choices for babies and men so if you are toting extra baggage (read: family), there are options for the whole crew. The motto on the website says it all: For those who travel, those who are curious and those who can’t commit. I’m sure you know who you are.
What’s on the menu? Among more than 40 brands, the selection includes Dr. Hauschka, Go Smile, Jack Black, Molton Brown, Tocca and Ole Henriksen. Organic products also have a presence.
3floz.com will ship to the hotel at your destination for those who couldn’t be bothered with lugging even 3 oz bottles. Best of all, if you’re down to the line (all you overworked, stressed-types that really need this vacay) and haven’t planned ahead, the duo has your back. If your flight departs less than 72 hours, shipping will be upgraded to overnight at no cost.
Service with airlines may have suffered but with a little effort, you don’t have to.
I have an inexplicable fear of insects … to the extent I can barely dispose of one unless I am faced with the realization that if I don’t, it might very well crawl into my bed at night and take a bite. Contrast this to my Mother who has a “pet” spider who has taken up residence in her shower and who scoops up found insects in her bare hands. Ewwww, it’s enough to make one’s skin crawl…at least mine.
Knowing I have no predilection for insects, it surprises even me that when it comes to accessories: I swing the other way. I have been amassing bug- and spider-themed accessories for years. Every season – whether ladybugs or spiders — insects have persevered in fashion. In the recent past, we saw butterflies in the 1980s with Dolce and Gabbana taking the lead. The motif persists for the brand today. In this very column about a month ago I covered the Academy of Art’s student exhibition that featured some outstanding and excessive bug-centric garments. This season I am seeing some extreme (see above for an ant crawling experience) as well as beautiful options.
photo credit: japanprobe.com
Not a modern day phenom, Egyptians embellished jewelry with scarabs and often depicted the beetles as pushing the sun along its course in the sky… an ode to the Sun God Ra. In Japan, Samurai warriors adorned their armor with dragonflies as symbols of strength and bravery. But it was the beetle that was prized and remains so to present day. Recently, I read about the annual summer bug season in Japan where they sell bugs everywhere — from grocery to hardware stores. It’s a status symbol and a national obsession. The commonly found beetles live but a few months and can be purchased for less than five dollars a pair, but the more majestic beetles with long mandibles run in the thousands of dollars and force some connoisseurs to seek bank loans.
Bottega Veneta is having its own Beetlemania this season and it’s worth taking note. These fine specimens are an easy way to get on the bug-wagon for fall. You can be sure that imitation will be sure to follow at lower price points.
The dung beetle, seeing its child on the wall, thinks it sees a pearl on a thread. ~ Arabic
I’m liking what’s coming for fall: Lace. We all probably have a few items in our closet from past seasons that have a flash of lace. Now’s the time to bring them forward for easy reach. As temperatures drop, layer over contrasting fabrics to pop the lace pattern or over similar colors to create depth and texture.
Why is lace so enduring? Concealing but revealing. Feminine. Extravagant. Goth and naughty. Those are today’s connotations. But its first use was simply a practical solution to wear and tear.
The Pharaohs used flax cloth decorated with colored threads worked into geometric designs. About the same time, the ancient Greeks and Romans embellished their togas with colored and/or metallic gold thread. Over time, as these garments became worn and frayed around the edges, the threads were twisted and stitched together. Lace evolved from the twisting techniques of the fringed edges of woven fabric such as cotton, silk, and flax and including the embellishing threads in gold, silver, copper… and even hair. (Gray haired women would weave their silver tresses into a lace called hair lace — a great solution to make those wayward strands disappear!).
Most of us will not think about this when we slip into our lace. The biggest dilemma is how to choose from the many great options — from gorgeous jewelry and shoes to puddle splashing boots. While Lady Gaga might be successful pulling off the head-to-toe look, the key for the rest of us is accentand restraint. And for those crafty-types, re-purpose a little-used lace scarf or cami into an interesting brooch or wrist tie, ala all the brilliant etsyans tufting, sewing, gluing their way into fashion stardom.
Here are a few items that caught my eye…. (Click on the images to find out more.)
I’ve been fortunate enough to build a business — Sorelle Bionde — that requires travel to Italy, frequently. Logging countless hours wandering the streets and passageways of cities such as Milan, Florence, Venice, Rome and more, I have uncovered great finds from artisans and designers who truly do march to their own beat.
The result: I’ve honed my hit list for shopping hot spots to which I return post-haste once I’ve dropped my luggage in the hotel. What sets these boutiques apart from others is that they are not mass chains, their products are rarely seen in the U.S. and they offer items that instantly say “of another place.” In fact when I really think about it, isn’t that all you want to buy when you’re traveling? Why pick up something that looks like or can be purchased at home? Exactly, so read on.
In Venice, I have two:
Maliparmi
For the several years I have followed Maliparmi and collected their shoes, handbags and clothing items, the themes that remain constant are ornamentation, an organic sense and a nod to tribal influences. Whether in the patterns that the beading take or a silkscreen stamp that gives interest to an otherwise unadorned fabric, Maliparmi feels of an exotic local. Also a little rustic, as if someone in a village with a threaded needle sewed those beads on … not a master artisan in a Parisian atelier.
As Maliparmi states: Looking ahead remembering the important lesson of the past. Using new technologies to re-elaborate old craft secrets. We are not interested in imposing a single idea of how to dress.
While I have picked up Maliparmi pieces in fashion boutiques in the South of France and Florence, Italy, I have found Venice to be the best source. Perhaps it is because of the proximity to the mother ship; Maliparmi is headquartered in Padua in northern Italy, just 40 km outside of Venice. Venice boasts an entirely Maliparmi “negozio” – Italian for boutique — and it is far more interesting to be immersed in the complete brand experience: handbags, belts and shoes side-by-side with the clothing collection. Not to mention the attitude-loaded Italian salesgirls who bring the designer’s vision to life.
WHAT TO BUY IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER: Sandals. Festooned with sequins, beads, stones and shells, they are the perfect whimsical anchor to your holiday look. Most likely on sale at this point, they will be just as wearable next summer. Best of all, today you have the treat of wearing them during the rest of your trip in Italy.
Fiorella Gallery
A cross between an art gallery and a retail space, Fiorella Gallery is billed as “the best gay fashion in Venice.” Yet, there I was. There I bought. There I have returned. (For the record, I am hetero.) In my book if it’s fabulous, it’s fabulous. Period.
Artist Fiorella Mancini creates everything found in the gallery. Many items actually are not for sale, either presented as sculptures or strange compositions of mixed media art works. There are pieces that are so fantastical and wild, I found myself assuming it was art, only to discover… “yes, but wearable art.”
What is for sale is an edited selection of dramatic but very wearable clothing. Fiorella tends toward saturated colors and large-scale prints in cleverly repeating patterns. The “repeat” obscures for many the subject matter of the print – for example the use of rats (which, I was told, is one of the more popular images sold). She works with velvet in the Fortuny style and applies paint and pattern to velvet coats, jackets and wraps and some smaller pieces such as t-shirts. In addition to geometric and scroll patterns, common themes are dragons, lions (the symbol of Venice) and rats (frequently sighted at night swimming the canals or scurrying between buildings).
Her pieces have appeared in numerous fashion publications and have been selected by stylists in Europe and the United States. All pieces are made by hand, and one of a kind.
WHAT I BUY IN SEPTEMBER: Velvet blazer – fingertip or longer. It will be perfect for this fall/winter season where velvet, gold and rich colors were trotting down the runway for Alexander McQueen, Balmain and Blumarine. Based on the longevity of my Fiorella jacket (seven years and still going strong), you’ve invested in a timeless piece of wearable Venetian art. Now that’s joy.
Campo Santo Stefano, 2806
Venezia 30124 Tel. 0789.34723 – 06.3203500 Mobile 335.8200873 www.fiorellagallery.com
Summer travel is particularly hard on feet. Liberated of socks and the protection of boots, peds are front and center and therefore demand attention. Besides, most likely you packed a great pair of vacay sandals with high hopes of adventure. Do those sandals justice and assemble this survival “foot kit.” You’ll find yourself in good standing.
My good pal gifted me with the PedEgg and – I must admit – I was skeptical as I peered at what reminded me of the goose egg-sized shells from the 70s that held supermarket pantyhose (maybe they’re still around?). The PedEgg, actually closer to the size of a duck egg, removes calluses, rough spots and dry skin for smooth civilized feet. It has more than 135 stainless steel precision micro-files that are not unlike a small cheese grater. The marketing materials claim it’s so gentle it “won’t even bust a balloon” (not put to the test by this writer). It fits into the palm of your hand and a storage compartment collects the shaving debris so you can use it anywhere with no mess. While I’m not recommending this sort of grooming should be done outside of the bathroom, this actually does give you some mobility. Note: held at a particular angle, the shavings do fall out. Measures 4″ L x 2 1/4″ W x 1 1/2″ D. Priced from 7-13 dollars at various retailers and online.
Summer begs for painted toes yet it’s a challenge to keep up polish over a several day trip, let alone a few weeks abroad. Paint & Peel takes half the hassle out of the equation by simplifying removal. This product requires no nail polish remover when the time comes to change your polish. Two coats are needed for complete coverage. Paint & Peel is a “Big 3-Free” formulation which means it is free from Formaldehyde, Toluene and Phthalates. It is also free of the remaining cancer-linked ingredients still found in standard polish. For longer wear, either apply a new coat of polish daily or use a base and topcoat (though may make it more difficult to remove). My color choice: Dove … a neutral gray/taupe color that will carry through fall. (Heavy on the bird references, I know.)
While the aforementioned nail polish negates the need for this product, the Girl Scout in me always wants to be prepared. Tuck a few Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads in your nail kit for good measure. Individually wrapped pads soaked in nail polish remover get the job done and there is no danger of spillage (disastrous considering the strong chemicals). One pad removes nail polish for ten nails.
Scaly and chalky looking heels will detract from all the hard work you’ve devoted thus far. Shea it isn’t so has the trifecta of ingredients: shea butter to moisturize; avocado oil to condition; and eucalyptus extract to refresh and cool. Apply after bathing or at night, before bed. Feet will not only look but also feel better.
Also in my travel kit:
Washcloth. I wash my feet nightly after a day of open shoe walking and nothing does the job better than a washcloth. Interestingly, my international travel often takes me to Italy and I find washcloths are seldom available. The washcloth not only removes dirt but also exfoliates which is the perfect preparation for realizing maximum benefits from a moisturizer.
Emery Boards.
Perhaps an obvious but I always bring several. Indispensable for maintaining nail shape and smoothing out breaks and peels.
I’m a multi-tasker. Aren’t you? Dodge a bullet, spin plates on sticks, keep an eye on the ball, hop up and down on one leg and smile all the while. It’s expected of us these days, and we’ve dutifully risen to the occasion. We must to survive in our fast-paced, changing environment… and as women, we’re the best at it.
Should we expect any less of the items we so carefully chose to pack in our ever-shrinking suitcase? Absolutely not. I have always sought out travel items that do double-duty. Hair conditioner I use as shaving cream; belts that can be worn as necklaces; pareos that transition from sand to dance floor; scarves that serve as a hair accessory, a makeshift top or an arm sling after a tumble on cobblestones (check out this great instructional video starring very clever founder of Splendora for six ways to tie a scarf).
As a sundress with sandals and a straw hat, or shimmy it down to your hips as a skirt with a breezy top or tank. Winterize it with a heavy sweater or turtleneck, a wide leather belt and boots and it’s carried you into another season. Material is cotton/rayon/spandex.
Brilliant solution for anywhere, anytime. Moves from day to night, casual to dressy. Accessorize with flats to heels, jean jacket to sequined wrap. Layer with a thin jersey top (as shown) or under a structured jacket for business.
The dress morphs into at least six different styles. The jersey fabric is ideal for packing and provides a flattering drape.
Victoria’s Secret introduced a “7-in-1″ dress that gives Donna Karan a run for her money, coming in at a fraction of the cost. Same concept and an array of available colors (pictured above in red, green, fuchsia and black),
This active-fit pant (read: close to the body) has two hand pockets, one back hook and loop pocket and one side-zip security pocket. The pant legs zip off just above the knee to transform to a longer length short. Synthetic fabric wicks away moisture and has a UPF of 50 to provide sun protection.
Wear them as pants with athletic or walking shoes, zip off the legs, add heels and a sequined tank and you’re set for a night out.
Two styles are currently shown on the website — this red bucket tote and the fold over. Both are convertible and reversible to an alternative color.
But my favorite for function is the more roomy, backpack to shoulder bag which debuts in August. Made of nylon, it’s all-weather and seasonless, easy to pack, provides numerous pockets and storage and can be wiped clean. I see this making its way on a back along the cliffs of the Cinque Terre and then over the shoulder shopping through Portofino.
A chain belt has been one of my travel staples for more than 10 years. Slung around the waist with a bikini, Ciao Capri! It’s the perfect accent for jeans or skirts and worn long around the neck it can up the style quotient on a simple button down blouse.
Double-wrapped it makes a chunky, more substantial statement and balances a shift dress. If the chain has a secure clasp, it can also be wrapped multiple times around the wrist for maximum impact. One piece, many looks.
With the “what to wear” part of your trip figured out, you can now focus on what to do.
As consumers, we are quickly moving from a group that pushes carts to one that pushes computer keys.
Online shopping, in some categories, has usurped the bricks and mortar experience: think movie rentals and travel. Consumers opt to buy online for convenience, price and broad product selection. With the present economic downturn, price has come to the forefront as the driving force for online shopping.
Shopping online for deals: How low can prices go?
For those who have made the transition to online consumerism, obtaining a promotional code is the Grail Sangraal of Internet shopping … ensuring the lowest possible price on the purchase being made. Offered by retailers, those short strings of numbers and/or letters are proffered to thank consumers for past patronage, as a promotional offer or to make amends for a service problem. Promo codes most often come in the form of a discount or free shipping. The downside is that they are bestowed upon us at the retailer’s whim and tend to appear post-purchase. They are only of use if we plan to return to the retailer to purchase again, and usually within a limited time window. Bottom-line: we are not in control.
Ever the deal hunter, I was thus intrigued when I learned about CurrentCodes.com. Touted as a clearinghouse for promotional codes, it follows more than 2,000 top retailers – everything from fashion and computers to travel and food – and offers timely and accurate lists of coupon and discount codes. The site also lists sales and other discounts that are in effect at the retailers it follows. Now, with some sleuthing, the “control” shifts back to the consumer.
According to CurrentCodes, when the site launched and began sharing promo codes with the public, retailers resisted. Promotional codes are a marketing and customer service tool and there was a logical desire by the retailers to control distribution and usage. However, once the benefits became evident – increased traffic to their sites and a measurable uptick in sales – CurrentCodes was seen an ally. Now, mega-stores such as Amazon.com and Overstock.compay CurrentCodes for every customer who links to their website from CurrentCodes and makes a purchase. The site also receives a certain percent of the amount spent. The customer saves money, and both CurrentCodes and the retailer make money.
A visit to the site on July 5 – with fashion as my focus – found promo discount codes at numerous retailers, including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Bloomingdale’s, BlueFly, Chico’s, Gap and Saks Fifth Avenue. The site is easy to navigate: browse by merchant, alphabetically, or by category. A quick Google search uncovered additional sites such as promotionalcodes.com, RetailMeNot.com, CouponCabin.com and DealHunting.com and using similar parameters (women’s fashion) found Calvin Klein, Linea Pelle, Kate Spade, Steve Madden and many others.
Now if only I can locate a code for that cute Pucci handbag….
I wash my feet nightly after a day of open shoe walking and nothing does the job better than a washcloth. Interestingly, my international travel often takes me to Italy and I find washcloths are seldom available. The washcloth not only removes dirt but also exfoliates which is the perfect preparation for realizing maximum benefits from a moisturizer.
