Friday, October 31, 2008

Work It Out

I'm not a gym rat, but when I do manage to drag myself there I kind of look like one. And not in a good way. But one day last week, at 6:15am, I was joined in the weight room by a girl who had on the cutest top. It was black, I think a little DIY was involved with the neckline, and she wore it one-shouldered. I was put to shame. And if girls pumping iron at 6am are going to up the ante, I've really got to get it together.

So while at Daffy's the other day, I checked out the workout gear on the 5th floor. I have a rule about workout gear: I will not pay full retail price for something I'm going to sweat in. Unless I'm running for more than 3 1/2 hours (marathon), and then I'll splurge.

Check out this "Italian fashion dancewear" Deha:

Pants: basic black, low-waisted, so comfortable and very long, $13.99. All other pants and hooded top $16.99. Hanging pants are spandex with gathered, pull-string ankles, very cute but a little obscene on moi.












Lace trim! Flashdance! Turtleneck with bell cuffs! Fuzzy comfy with extra-long sleeves! All $16.99.









They had me at Italian, but fashion dancewear? Evokes childhood ballerina dreams and teenage Flashdance/Fame dreams. Made in Italy, Deha is so good I'm wearing one of their tops right now and I'm at work, not the gym. It's so soft, and I keep noticing little details like double layers on the hem cuff. Also, unless the fabric is by nature clingy, most of what I tried on is cut well and not so tight it gives you unsightly lumps. Ugh, hate looking at those while pumping me some iron.

Daffy's Herald Square, 5th floor, 34th @ Broadway

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Debbie's Gone Awry

Debbie's always got some lame excuse about being late. But today she's way out of control. Bad shopper! Bad, bad shopper.

But she did find these at Daffy's Herald Square on the 5th floor:

Suede June vest (small, $34.99) with Jacques Bogart silk scarf ($9.99). This vest is a lot more cute in person, but I think you get the idea.


Hmmm, interesting! Click on picture to get the full interesting effect. I'm feeling a little retro, Thierry Mugler thing with this
leather Margaret Godfrey jacket (size 4-6, $69.99). Debbie had to elbow that lady away from her mirror space. Do not get in Debbie's way at Daffy's, people.











I'd now write about looking for good workout gear at Daffy's, but it's going to have to wait till tomorrow as Debbie's buying me a gigantic martini so she can bitch and moan about "work," "never-ending projects" and "no time to shop." Meantime the above are on the 5th floor of Daffy's Herald Square under "Debbie" till the end of the day. Tomorrow you'll find them on the floor, right across from shoes in the leather section. And if anyone buys the vest, Debbie's throwing in the scarf for extras.

Daffy's Herald Square, 34th & Broadway

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Skirt Talk

Pants devotee finds cute H&M skirt ($49.90, the black v-neck is $14.90):

She's got volume, but good volume, not bad, scary Nutcracker-Extra-volume. Although beware, you may don this skirt and start a jig or take it square dancing. It's a persuasive big/little piece of clothing.















H&M
Herald Square, 34th @ 6th Avenue

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Raiding H&M Men

I always do a quick look-see in the men's departments on 34th Street. Often I am well-rewarded and I'm talking for myself, not the man. From H&M Herald Square, 2nd floor men's Divided:


Cuff ($5.90). I'd normally call this a bracelet, but it's in the guys section so I'll be respectful. Jeffrey was appalled when I pulled it out back at the office: "Studs are so done!" but I love the mix of black and silver studs. And really, I think studs have some life in them this winter, next spring, and for the next punk rock stud revival in what, two, three seasons?

Angora fingerless gloves ($6.90). Men's department? Ha, ha, no, I found them balled up in women's accessories. So cute, even hard for some guys to resist.

Tie ($9.90). This is a perfect skinny tie. I was inspired by that cute tie on the edie rose white shirt last week, and was keeping an eye out for something similar. This is a heavier material, but I think the shape is perfect. Now I need to learn how to tie it proper.


Suspenders ($7.90). These come in white with black piping also, but I was a little worried about the dirt factor as I'll be messing with them all day.
On me, on my male model (yay, Martin's back!), and the gratuitous rear suspenders shot).














Altogether! It's my "Build-a-Drag-King" post just in time for Halloween. And looking at this shot, I'm for sure wearing suspenders not with these skinny black jeans, but baggy boyfriend pants.




H&M Herald Square on 34th @ 6th Ave.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Raising Awareness










Home sick today, but luckily the lovely Charu of Butterfly Diary sent over some info regarding a fantastic giveaway, part of the Total Beauty Total Cure's campaign. Here's her details, be sure to visit her site to enter. And stay away from sneezing, feverish, sore-throated husbands:

In order to raise awareness of Breast Cancer, Anastasia Beverly Hills was lovely enough to donate $280 worth of delicious brow booty. Enter online at www.butterflydiary.com to win: today only!!

All the below products can be yours, if you enter one comment with ONE breast cancer statistic found on Total Beauty Total Cure's My Space or Facebook pages.

Who does not love Anastasia Beverly Hills? From their 6 Piece Brow Kit (a must have) to their Brow Pencil and Brow Filler, the winner will receive the following products:

- 6 Piece Brow Kit - $75.00 (Color will be determined according to winner)
- Brow Pen - $21.00
- Go Brow - $21.00
- Brow Enhancing Serum - $35.00
- Brow Filler - $20.00
- Perfect Brow Pencil - $22.00 (color also to be determined)
- Tinted Brow Gel - $19.00
- Brow Wiz - $18.00 (color also to be determined)
- Sharpener - $6.0
- Scissors - $22.50
- Shimmer Highlighter - $21.00

Deadline is midnight, tonight, October 27th.

Also, please visit www.amominredhighheels.com to enter another contest and win $250 in Murad products. Manic Monday was never better!

Good luck!

And Charu's giveaway has reminded me of Lady Foot Locker's support of the American Cancer Society's breast cancer efforts this month on 34th Street. Yikes, sorry I'm so late with this, where did October go? Be sure to drop by Lady Foot Locker this week as they are offering customized pink ribbon apparel, in addition to a reusable recycled tote bag. A limited edition Pink Ribbon gift card will also be available; 10% of the card value goes directly to the American Cancer Society.










Lady Foot Locker,
120 W. 34th between Broadway & 7th Avenue

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Miscellaneous Zara

Some miscellaneous, rather conservative Zara from last week:














The dress with the white trim could be a lovely work dress, please ignore how lumpy I am in it. Bad, granny-panty day. And the shift has great hanger appeal. On the body it's fine, and I like the neck, but what's up with those sleeves poking every which way? Luckily the cropped, black satin evening jacket is perfect, no lumps, no awkward pokey things, just elegant and chic.

Zara, 39 W. 34th between 5th & 6th down Herald Square way

Friday, October 24, 2008

O Comme des Garcons!

Life, it's all up and down. First, I am up! Comme des Garcons for H&M is at not just one, but both of the H&Ms on 34th Street. Joy! There are just four stores in NYC carrying the collection, and our district has two of them, the Herald Square store and the 7th & 34th store. Life is good!

Then, while perusing the website preview, I notice the key pieces, the very Rei Kawakubo pieces, the fabulous dress, the deconstructed jackets, the off-kilter asymmetric skirts ($69.90), and even the frilly shirt ($59.90) will be sold where? Fifth Avenue flagship only (you can get the dress at the Lexington location too, grrrrrr).

Down. Very, very down. Underground down. Although the dress is amazing, and I'd love to buy it, it's pricey for me ($349). And I'm just not a dress girl. But the jackets, the deconstructed jackets, please, my name should be stitched on the back they are so me! I am the girl whose very first suit ever bought was an asymmetric Ann Demeulemeester everyone in DC called "weird" in the 90's. I NEED one of these jackets ($129):

(SOB!!!)















(WEEP!!!)















(GNASHING TEETH/PULLING OUT HAIR)















But then, just when you're at your lowest, you get a little ray of hope. Mine first came in the form of a CDG discussion with a lovely Shop Boy at H&M Herald Square: "No dress? But we always get everything!" Later, ray of hope #2 came from Jeffrey. "I heard Herald Square is getting the best stuff." What??? Who said this??? "My friend Joe (fake name); he's obsessed with this line."

Retail rumors keeping hope alive. And I've been here before. I was told by Gap managers that 34th Street wasn't getting the Pierre Hardy shoes, but the salesclerks said "We get everything at this store." And the shoes were in store a few weeks later. Well, New York City, you should all go to 5th & 51st on the morning of November 13th. But I'm up for playing a little retail roulette on 34th Street because, well, I am Fashion Herald, not Fashion 5th & 51st.


Our H&Ms: Herald Square @ 6th Avenue & 34th Street
7th Avenue & 34th Street



Comme des Garcons for H&M pictures from Nitrolicious.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Deborah in Daffy Dresses

Ouch, Debbie's late today! An important mid-week, out-of-town rendezvous and a Blogger outage are the culprits. But she panted her way round Daffy's Herald Square and found these nice things by Patrizia Pepe:

Click for tuxedo shirt details ($29.99). It's a 4 but fits like a 6 and is longer in the back, love that. Size 4 grey dress with sexy neckline is $59.99, was $222, and the size 2 bubble, side-buckle skirt is $49.99, was $212.













Deborah was standing in line at the registers, thinking this week kind of lacked in excitement, when she spotted these:

Green animal print dress by Rhinascimento, $49.99, was $162, size large. Green animals are fun.


Pretty Searle dress, size 10, was $398, now $59.99.












Possibly my favorite Daffy's item yet, this dress is a size 2 thus the holding up. Formerly around $500 and now is around $150, I think? Hey size 2s, PLEASE go buy!

Joy, this shiny black dress is fabulous and not just because it's from the best-named line ever, LP&P aka Little Prince and Piggy. I now want to buy everything they make.




All is available on hold at the 6th floor registers till 8pm tonight under "Deborah."



Daffy's Herald Square, 34th Street & Broadway

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Edie Rose at Macy's Herald Square

Back in my idyllic youth, Moms would bundle me up against my will and make me wear snow boots at the first sign of clouds. Naturally this fostered a young adulthood of very inappropriate winter dressing. But if I had a teenage daughter this season, I'd be a little annoyed:

vinyl biker jacket, $99, sold out online but still at Macy's, denim jacket $89, hooded poncho, $59.











Brrr, chilly cropped jackets and sweaters! They're everywhere, and Rachel Bilson's Edie Rose for DKNY collection at Macy's Herald Square is no exception. Well, if you're going to freeze, do it while you're young. And speaking of young, I'm no junior, but here's what I'd buy anyway:

adore this tuxedo jacket (fits like a glove, and is, yes, cropped, $79):

adore this Tshirt, go 80's go (click for sequin tie detail, $39, also available in black):











adore this white blouse, really ADORE this white blouse. I love a tie lying askew (click for pretty collar/shoulder detail, $59):










Dress (and the jeans worn above, $69) also sold out online but available at Macy's Herald Square, $79. And the black sequin tie T with yellow shoulder trim, $39:

Cropped everything aside, some good winners in this collection. And $$$ is manageable. I also love Rachel's highlight yellow that's her signature in this collection. There's yellow trim on T's and yellow belts on dresses (above).

Find Edie Rose for DKNY jeans on the 4th floor of Macy's Herald Square, right next to Auntie Anne's. Seriously, just follow that aroma and good luck resisting the pretzels.

Macy's Herald Square, 151 W. 34th btwn Broadway & 7th