Friday, October 30, 2009

Triple Take

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Jeffrey who is kindly filling in as guest blogger.

H&M is a great standby, especially in the winter when cold weather staples can get prohibitively expensive elsewhere. I found a few great finds for men last night.


Cowl neck is all the rage, and a long cardigan is always a must for the winter. Chic over a work outfit or with a v-neck tshirt and jeans for brunch, this will prove to be a versatile, comfortable, and elegant addition to any man’s wardrobe. 49.90

Double breasted is back (again), and this wool jacket is a good example of how the look can be streamlined into a short, wool jacket. Again, I like this jacket because it works as well during the week as it does on the weekend. The fit is exemplary, and the short length works well for height-challenged men like myself. 69.90

Last, I found this beautiful little plaid shirt. This really reminded me of a shirt I would steal from my old roommate. His was Built by Wendy and cost at least 5 times as much, and while the fabric quality is nowhere near that of its more expensive kin, this does a good job of getting the same style for a casual dinner. 29.90


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

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Adventures in Outerwear

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Lindsey who is graciously filling in as guest blogger.

The weather is changing and it is about time to start thinking coats and layers. But I am stir crazy in the city so my mind is on adventure! I thought I’d combine the two for today’s post at JC Penney.

1) Decree Pleather Jacket, ON SALE, 50% for a ticket price of 39.99! With the new Amelia Earhart film and the instant cool that a nice aviatrix jacket adds who can resist. Pair it with some jeans and you are good to go!










2) A.N.A “red clay” knit scarf $25 .00 You might even want to make it a bit sassy with a splash of color, and warmth.











3) East 5th Hazelnut Trench Coat with lining, $200 Next up let’s go for a little Carmen San Diego look. Simple and chic for work and globetrotting.






4) Worthington Black and White Plaid Coat, $250 The beauty of this is that you can wear it out on the town, or over sweats to pick up the morning newspaper and coffee. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, this adds a bit of sophistication to your journey.











5) St. John’s Bay Ivory sweater $44.00 After a long day of trudging through the elements you’ll be glad you bought this warm sweater. Just add hot cocoa and you’ve got a winning wintertime combination.










JCPenney, Manhattan Mall, 33rd & 6th

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Bare Escentuals Giveaway Winner: Week Three

It's that time again...


Annalene of The Wide World Of All Things Cute and Cuddly has won a bareMinerals Get Started Kit from last Friday's Bare Escentuals giveaway! Now send your address and shade preference (check the website for shade info) to fashionherald@urbanmgt.com and we'll send your makeup!

And if you weren't the lucky winner this week, try again next week.* Many thanks to Bare Escentuals and their 34th Street boutique for the goods!

PS - Bare Escentuals can't send your winnings if they don't have contact info. Last week's winner: JessicaCRB, email (fashionherald@urbanmgt.com) or Tweet us (www.twitter.com/fashionherald) with a mailing address pronto!

Bare Escentuals
, 44 W. 34th St. between 5th & 6th

*previous BE Get Started Kit winners on Fashion Herald can not re-enter - you already won, silly!


Monday, October 26, 2009

In Case You Needed Another Reason to go to Old Navy...

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. However, Catherine is pleased as punch to share this offer with you.

Old Navy is partnering with One Warm Coat, whose mission is to provide a warm winter coat to as many people as possible. Bring in a coat or cold-weather accessory through November 5th and receive 10% off your entire purchase. Yes, entire purchase. Not just a new coat or scarf - everything! Thanks, Old Navy.


Old Navy, 150 W. 34th St. between Broadway & 7th

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Spooky Savings in the Cellar

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Jeffrey who is kindly filling in as guest blogger.

My personal favorite spot to indulge in 34th Street is The Cellar at Macy’s. You can slip in through the 34th Street entrance closest to Broadway, make a sharp left, and head down a narrow little staircase, avoiding all the crowds, escalators, and elevators. Down in this magical basement space, there are none of the crowds of tourists fiending for their Levi’s, and the shopping experience is calmer and more pleasant than anywhere else I can think of on 34th Street.

Of course, we are also in the prime season for housewares. I wandered down hoping to find ridiculous, unnecessary, but lust-worthy items like pumpkin-shaped soup tureens and ghost-shaped cookie cutters. I was shocked to see that Christmas was already in full swing down in this netherworld, but there were still a few Halloween goodies to be found and most were on sale!

Halloween can be tacky, but we all know that Martha Stewart can make anything both overwrought and moderately tasteful. I fell in love with just about every item on this clearance rack, from maple leaf spatulas to haunted house kitchen towels, but my favorite had to be the cake stencils (originally $12.99, now $8.99) for dusting powdered sugar or cocoa onto baked goods in three spooky motifs. I would love experimenting with dusting everything from cheesecakes to pumpkin pies for a little bit of fall flair.

Also down in The Cellar are a variety of different brands of chocolate. I was drawn to the Frango display, offering a variety of treats for 25% off. I nearly bought the Pumpkin Cheesecake Chocolates ($7.50 after discount) as a pre-dinner snack, but a bear in a mummy costume ($16.50 after discount) was so cute that I forgot all about my growing, early evening hunger.

On my way out, I stopped by the Macy’s Culinary Council kitchen. Although I didn’t catch a celebrity chef whipping up a gourmet meal, the space is also used to demonstrate products. I got a free cup of coffee from a Keurig coffee maker that uses disposable coffee pods (pictured model on sale for $129.99, smaller and larger models on sale for $89.99 and $169.99 respectively). The coffee was not as full-bodied as what I make in my French Press at home, but the cleanup cannot be beat. To boot, Macy’s stocks 20 different varieties of coffees and cocoas for the machine and more are available online from Keurig.


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

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

What Size Am I Anyway?

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Katie who is graciously filling in as guest blogger.

Let me start by saying that I’ve never been in love with Zara. I want to be, I really do. Unfortunately, I feel like everything I buy there ends up being returned, or worse…taking up space in my tiny NYC apartment closet, unworn.

A few months ago I purchased a fall jacket from Zara. About a month after that, I found a more versatile, more ‘me’ jacket at Loehmann’s (one of my favorite bargain haunts, but sadly, not on 34th Street). It was my own fault for buying the Zara jacket while it was still 80-something degrees outside, I just got excited for fall. It happens.

I headed to Zara on 34th Street with a mission to exchange the second string jacket for one or two versatile pieces to dress up or down, and wear to work or on the weekends.

My first choice, a black and grey winter skirt, reminded me of my main beef with Zara: strange and inconsistent sizing. I tried both the L and XL. The L was too small, and for the XL to fit I had to hike it up high on my waist, making it too short to wear to work. My bottom half does tend to size larger than my top, but in other stores (Gap, Banana Republic, etc) if the M doesn’t fit, then the L will. It was a shame, because I really liked this skirt at $59.90.



Along with the skirt, I tried two tops with pretty lace details. I liked the grey more than the black, but the smallest size I could find was a L. It was way too big.



Black top & lace detail, $29.90. Soft grey top & blue lace detail, $39.90

A black dress with lace overlay looked promising on the hanger. I really liked the neckline, but the top didn’t sit right on me. It puffed out too much in the front and the back, making me look disproportionately top heavy. If it fits you correctly, this is a fairly inexpensive piece that could go from the office to dinner or drinks, with just a few additional accessories.


Black lace dress, $59.90


Zara TRF skinny jeans and corduroys are on sale ($35.90) at the moment. A black pair could take you through the entire winter with a nice pair of boots. Unfortunately, the size 8 pants (my usual size) were much too small. Although they had a lot of other colors in the corduroys and many different shades of denim, the store didn’t have any larger sizes. If you’re smaller than an 8, run and get them while they’re on sale.

Without going into the specifics of my measurements, I’ll just put it like this: if Zara’s sizes were consistent, XL skirts wouldn’t be too small on me and L tops wouldn’t be much too big.

In the end, I exchanged the jacket for this short sleeved cable knit top ($39.90), a nice fall to winter transition piece. And in case you were wondering, the M fit, but I decided to go with the L to give me more room for layering.

All that being said, Zara does have some great basics for winter, including long cotton cardigans in a rainbow of colors (on sale right now for $29.90), paper-thin turtlenecks, and tons of chunky knit sweaters at reasonable prices. However, be prepared to abandon the size you thought you were and cross over into Zara’s world of sizing, which I have yet to make sense of. Is it a European thing? If you know, please share!

Zara,
39 W. 34th St. between 5th & 6th Ave.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Bare Escentuals Giveaway Winner: Week Two


JessicaCRB has won a bareMinerals Get Started Kit from our Friday Bare Escentuals giveaways!

Congrats, Jessica! Please send your shipping info and shade preference (kit shades listed on website) to fashionherald@urbanmgt.com.

If you didn't win, try again this weekend for another chance to win.* Contest will be up again this Friday, courtesy of Bare Escentuals and their lovely 34th Street boutique.

Bare Escentuals
, 44 W. 34th St. between 5th & 6th

*previous BE Get Started Kit winners on Fashion Herald can not re-enter - spread the wealth, people!

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Hospital Bag: Before*

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Below is a post she wrote pre-leave.

I got these sweats at H&M for $10 on sale, perfect for hospital bag.


I've been hearing about the hospital bag for months now. Apparently, pregnant women should pack these as soon as the plus sign appears on the stick. And if you do a little online research, you will get some very strong hospital bag opinions. Some people, it seems, are planning to bring most of their apartment with them to the delivery room.

My sister and I discussed this. She has delivered 3x in the hospital, and first thing she said was "keep it light." You don't want to be lugging big bags around when, upon leaving, the only thing you should be worried about getting home is that baby. Her essentials: socks, slippers, change of clothes for you and baby, cell phone charger, and a pillow if you care about those things. To this I am adding: coconut water and snacks. And makeup (I'm much more vain than my sister). And maybe ipod speakers, although then my husband will probably play garage music the whole time and I'll have to yell at him.

I was thinking maybe some games, too, you know, like crossword puzzles and Clue. But then remembered that I'm going to be in lots of pain. Do woman do crossword puzzles in between contractions? Or fight over being Miss Scarlet or Miss White?

These H&M leggings are my favorite fall maternity piece and will take me home from the hospital.

My sister and I agreed on this: we love hospital gowns, hospital socks, and all the other stuff they give you when you're in a hospital. They can get dirty and you don't care. Also, they warn you during the hospital tour about losing/leaving things behind. Play it safe, and leave your favorite stuff at home.

*I'm going to post a "The Hospital Bag: After" to see what really worked and what didn't.




H&M Mama
at H&M Herald Square, 34th & 6th Avenue

Friday, October 16, 2009

Forever Halloween

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Kati who is graciously filling in as guest blogger.

With the big event just two weeks away, I've got Halloween on the brain. Even more than I love dressing up, I love creating costumes from my real clothes. It may be a black vest any given day of the year, but on October 31st, it's an integral piece of a pirate costume. Today at Forever 21, I was trying to think cute fall trends for the blog, but all I could think was costumes costumes costumes.

Happening upon a seemingly normal chunky sweater, I think The Dude from The Big Lebowski. At just $32.80, all this sweater needs is shades + pj pants.


Add horns and a tail to this $39 furry Twelve by Twelve number, and you can easily pull off the role of a Wild Thing.



There was plenty more faux fur to be had at Forever 21. The furry black vest screams to be part of a bear costume or maybe even a gaudy, over-the-top Real Housewives of New Jersey get-up. The little brown vest would make the perfect warm accent to a Viking or squirrel costume.

Left: Black Vest $37.80, Right: Brown Vest $24.80

And just in time for your constellation-themed costumes, Forever 21 has low AND high top, sequined AND not sequined gold and silver kicks for just $16.80!


Buy these for your b-boy, jellyfish or Michael Jackson costumes... and then keep them for a little flare all year long. That's the magic of a great Halloween costume - long term versatility. And at Forever 21 prices, you'll find great inspiration in and out of disguise.

And if all of this has failed to inspire you, go to the Ricky's pop-up on 34th Street, where they do the thinking for you. Choose from scores of pre-packaged costumes, so all you'll have to do come Halloween night is get dressed.

Forever 21 , 50 W. 34th St. between 5th & 6th Aves

Ricky's NYC Pop-Up , 315 W. 34th St. between 8th & 9th Aves

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Top Time

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Following is a post from her co-worker Catherine who is graciously filling in as guest blogger.

I'm usually drawn to simple/classic items, especially tops, and Banana Republic is one of my favorite places to find them. Why tops? For starters, my wee stature of 5’ 1” makes trying on pants slightly difficult. They look a little silly with an extra 6-8” of fabric bunched at my ankles and I feel bad stepping on the excess. The second reason is that I believe the last time I wore a skirt or dress was Halloween 2006 as a “dark fairy,” whatever that was. All I really wanted was to wear wings and have an excuse to put permanent pink highlights in my hair. But I digress...back to BR!

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Banana Republic introduced a line called Heritage this summer. It seems that retailers are realizing "eco-fashion" can go beyond than selling reusable totes and graphic tees with recycling logos. Heritage features natural and eco-friendly fabrics, including organic cotton and soy silk. (In case you’re curious, soy silk has the texture of silk but is made from soy proteins – soft and “silky” without harming silkworms!) The fit of this top isn’t particularly flattering on me, but it has two details that I love. One: nice shoulder detailing. Two: great print resembling one of my Dad’s ties.

Heritage Printed Shell: $69.50.

Thankfully, you can always count on a good cotton button-down shirt, especially from Banana. This is the “Boyfriend Fit,” which translates to being pretty roomy, long enough for tucking, and having convenient buttons for keeping rolled-up sleeves actually rolled up. Bonus: The medium-weight fabric means you only see the shirt, not everything under it. I also tried a soft silk-cotton-cashmere blend sweater. Very comfortable with a nice deep V-neck and the right thickness for a little layering.


Casual Button-Down Shirt: $59.50 and worth every penny.
Cotton-Silk Long-Sleeve Sweater: $59.50; select colors $49.99.


I picked up a super warm (and rather puffy) down vest in the Men’s section. It looks good and seems practical, too. It features a zipper/button combo on the front, buttonable pockets, and even a little elastic around the arms to keep any drafts out.


Active Down Vest: $89.50.

My instincts paid off. I don't shop often, but Banana Republic always proves to be time (and money) well-spent!

Banana Republic, 17 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Aves

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Bare Escentuals Giveaway Winner!




Ashley of Breakfast at Saks wins this bareMinerals Get Started Kit from our Friday Bare Escentuals giveaways:


Congrats, Ashley! Please email your shipping info to fashionherald@urbanmgt.com.

Didn't win? Enter again this weekend for another chance to win.* Contest will be up again this Friday, courtesy of Bare Escentuals and their fabulous boutique on 34th Street.

Bare Escentuals, 44 W. 34th St. between 5th & 6th

*previous BE Get Started Kit winners on Fashion Herald can not re-enter, just one per gorgeous blogger, please!

Monday, October 12, 2009

I Love Liz

Tricia Lewis, our Fashion Herald blogger, is out on maternity leave. Below is a posting she prepared before leave.

Really it's "I love Isaac at Liz." Although, yes, these pictures are a little dated as I'm not really here right now (insert sci-fi music), I wanted to show a few favorite Liz pieces for fall spotted on the 3rd floor at Macy's Herald Square. Because so far, so great with the Isaac Mizrahi+Liz Claiborne thing.*

Plaid dress! And I swear my mom had a similar pair of plaid pants by Pendleton, I love a nostalgic piece.



















This display is, to me, classic Liz with a punch of chic. And pumpkin orange. Got my eye on that long coat. I was also impressed with the bags, the one on the right is very chi-chi weekend trip.















* updated to add: as this was pre-posted because I'm on maternity leave, I just wanted to acknowledge the news reported last week of the Liz Claiborne move to JCPenney. Starting next fall, Liz Claiborne will be sold exclusively at JCPenney, and Isaac's Liz Claiborne New York collection will be sold on QVC. I recommend getting into Macy's Herald Square and try it on if you're a fan, then you'll know how it fits before you call up the collection on TV. John Bartlett will not be designing the collection for men next fall; this spring will be the last collection he'll be designing for Liz Claiborne. The Bartlett collection is not available at Macy's Herald Square.


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