Thursday, April 28, 2011

Bringing Bryant Park Home: The Subway Signs

Have you seen these subway signs at our sister blog?


For those who reminisce about Fashion Week in Bryant Park, these are a great gift idea. But if you're not up for committing to a big subway sign, there are smaller versions like the one below, and also T-shirts, chairs, and even a coloring book available for sale at the Bryant Park shop


I love the above shot. Oh, how well I know those signs! Almost as good as the 34th Street subway signs under Broadway. Now one of those is totally on my Christmas wish list. What? It's almost May, people! One can never prepare one's husband too early for proper gifting.


Bryant Park Shop

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

H&M's Conscious Collection

Forgive me. Buildings in NYC still hadn't turned on their a/c the other day, and all of a sudden it was almost 80 degrees. I was too tired and steamy to remove my black stockings and shoes while trying on H&M's Conscious Collection. And perhaps I was subconsciously rebelling against all the white.

Jacket is $49.95, tank is $7.95, scalloped shorts I'm not sure!
I am a devoted black-wearing girl. But this collection has helped convert me a little. The boyfriend blazer (above) totally converted me.The dresses didn't hurt either.

The prices are great on this collection. Many are just $17.95 or $19.95, and lovely long maxi skirts run $19.95 and less. The lace, 70's bridal-looking dress in the middle is $49.95. And really, I'm always pleased when I can wear my black leather Chucks with almost anything...

H&M 34th Street & 7th Avenue
H&M Herald Square 34th Street & 6th Avenue

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Affordable Art Fair: Win Tickets!



The Affordable Art Fair is coming to town, and you can win a free pair of tickets! It's easy: visit our new 34th Street Facebook page, like us, and you're entered to win. We're giving away two pairs of tickets to attend this show held at 7 West 34th Street, where you can buy art priced at $100 - $10,000 from the known, the unknown, and the up-and-coming young artist. Go, like us, and then maybe you can put that entrance fee $$ towards something fabulous for your walls.


Affordable Art Fair May 5-8, 2011, 7 West 34th Street just west of Fifth Avenue

Monday, April 25, 2011

Get The Royal Treatment from Gap

Want the 50% off employee discount all year long at Gap? Stop by Gap Herald Square and scan that QR code. There's a winner every day in every store. NICE.

Look for the sign by the registers on first floor, no purchase necessary, see store for details.

Of course, when I was there my iPhone was dying, not loading my camera, and then my tag reader dropped me. I'm learning to hate QR codes, anyone else?  The best news about my Gap trip today was the 60% off sale. Be sure to swing by the basement while you're there and check out the always-fabulous Gap sale. And scan those codes before Sunday, because this only lasts till Saturday the 30th.


Gap Herald Square 34th Street and Broadway

JCPenney Winner!

Awkward blogger pose. You have to work at this one.

And the winner of the $50 JCPenney gift card is: Xmastime! Congrats Xmastime. My official name draw-er today was the 7 year old daughter of a co-worker who is visiting the office, so Xmastime, you owe her. I recommend not the aisles full of spring dresses for you, but the Levis section. And if anyone else is still looking for spring dresses, JCPenney has tons, including lots of cute Nicole by Nicole Miller (see wrap dress above).

JCPenney Manhattan Mall 33rd Street and Broadway

Friday, April 22, 2011

Mango Coming to 34th Street!!


Mango, the Spanish retailer currently featuring ScarJo as their spokesmodel, is coming to 34th Street. As of May 1st, Mango will be taking over from Lane Bryant at 7 West 34th Street. That's 5,500 sf of Mango. With Uniqlo opening down the street in the fall, this block of 34th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues is feeling pretty fabulous. The two international retailers will be joining Victoria's Secret, H&M, Levis (coming soon), Steve Madden, Zara, Geox, Esprit, Dr. Jay's, Banana Republic, House of Hoops, Aeropostale, Bebe, and Desigual on the north side. On the south side, Timberland will soon be joining stores like Strawberry, WHO.A.U, Forever 21, Bare Escentuals, and Gap. Welcome, Mango!

Go here to enter to win a $50 JCPenney gift certificate


Mango soon to be taking over at 7 West 34th Street

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Spring Toledo Payless Picks

Pretty much all of them.



It's hard for me to chose which Isabel Toledo style I want this season. There's the T-strap vespadrille, the sand dune ghillie, the vespadrille wedge boot, the mesh lace shootie, and the pretty awesome boardwalk ballerina flat. This flat deserves a closer look.


I was a fan of Toledo's first line of shoes, and this spring line just deepens my love for all things Toledo. It was easy for me to pick the High Ghillie last season, but this go-round I'm torn. Wedge boot, shootie, wedge boot, shootie? These are tough decisions. While I'm pondering my choices, you should also take a closer look at the Z London Payless line.


That's a sexy shoe. Keep an eye out for this brand at Payless on 34th Street. Also, note that the first box of Toledos pictured are on sale. The t-strap is not on sale online, and the sand dune ghillie is marked down more in store than online. More incentive to visit 34th Street...


Payless 34th Street @ Broadway
Payless 34th Street @ Eighth Avenue

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Swedish Hasbeens at H&M Herald Square



I had a big moment of panic today when I was looking for the Swedish Hasbeens at H&M Herald Square. I went right to the second floor, thinking they'd be in shoes, and saw only this:


 Ack! Had I missed the whole thing? Sales staff told me people were going nuts for the shoes ("people are calling from California!"), and then sent me back downstairs to the first floor where, in my rush, I had passed by this huge Hasbeen display:


 But don't think you're free to leisurely stroll down to Herald Square any old day and pick up your size. They are going fast in the red and the lace-up. I only saw one 5 but several 6's, 7's, and 8's in the lace-up. The reds were even worse: no 5's, just 6's, 7's, and 8's. Be sure to ask someone to check the back if your size isn't on the floor; as that's how I got the 9 in the lace-up. There are no 10's, they didn't make them.

The Hasbeens are not in the H&M at 34th and Seventh, but a clerk told me they may be getting them tomorrow or Friday. This is not what the website says, however. To find Hasbeens near you click "store locator" here.


H&M Herald Square 34th Street & Sixth Avenue

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Win $50 for Spring Dresses at JCPenney

I found so many gorgeous spring dresses in JCPenney Manhattan Mall this afternoon, there's no way I can show them all. Favorites included MNG by Mango, AllenB, American Living, and BisouBisou. Tell me what style you'd wear for spring, or which mommy and me look you'd love to work on Easter Sunday, and you're entered to win a $50 gift certificate from JCPenney.

I love this MNG by Mango dress, and I'm not the only one as it's sold out online. The little peach Cinderella dress is a sweet accompaniment.


Another MNG by Mango + Cinderella dress combo.

Big girl dress by American Living, lilac Youngland for mini you.
Is there a rule that mom's dress has to be longer than her daughter's? Time to burn the rule book. This AllenB dress with tulle lining is amazing!


















Gorgeous rose sheath by Jones Wear.



















Right now there's a 50% off dresses sale, so if we hurry, you might be able to get two...enter until the end of Easter Sunday!

How to Enter:
  • Leave a comment on the post with your pick to enter contest
  • Like Fashion Herald on Facebook for a second entry and tell me in comments.
  • Do this before the end of day on Sunday, April 24th; winner chosen by drawing and announced on Monday the 25th. Bon chance!



JCPenney Manhattan Mall lower levels 1 & 2, 33rd and Broadway

Monday, April 18, 2011

Matthew Williamson for Impulse at Macy's Herald Square

I have bittersweet and fond memories of the Matthew Williamson for H&M collection.The first release I was not yet out of the pregnancy closet, but was big enough that I wasn't quite fitting the gorgeous leather jacket, which a woman in the dressing room next to me was kind enough to point out. I glared at her and barked "I'm pregnant!" She was, of course, hovering around, waiting to snatch up my size 6 jacket, which I eventually and reluctantly handed over.


My favorite dress from the Macy's collection, in stores now.
The second Matthew Williamson release I was five months pregnant and loved the clothes because the colorful flowy tunics were ideal maternity. At least until I hit month seven and was so big that the flowy stopped flowing. Today I was expecting more memorable Matthew Williamson moments in Herald Square, just at a different retail location: Macy's. But I was left underwhelmed.

 
Perhaps it was the hormones. Do I only love Matthew Williamson when pregnant? The prints weren't doing it for me (except the first dress), the jeans were in the 80's but in all the bad ways, and the tops, to be frank, did nothing for my figure. Ironic, I know, considering his H&M collection made me feel fabulous while pregnant. The dresses are the strongest and sexiest bits of his Macy's collection, but even there I felt like we weren't getting all that Matthew Williamson can be. Long dresses are totally my thing, but neither of the above compelled me to buy. Pluses were the jackets, a great fit, and the prices: $54 for blouses, a little over $100 for the maxi, and $79 for the jeans. I also spotted no quality issues, except for a wonky zipper on the one-shouldered blue dress. We had a minor skirmish but I won.


Macy's Herald Square 151 W. 34th Street between Broadway & 7th Avenue

Friday, April 15, 2011

Swarovski's In On The Sister Act



Add some gorgeous bling to your spring jewelry collection and get free tickets to the smash Broadway hit, Sister Act!* This weekend at Swarovski on 34th Street, if you spend $200, two Sister Act tickets are yours, all free and clear and shiny and pretty sitting next to your new Swarovski. Well, I think you actually get a voucher, but it all means the same thing in the end: you get to go see Sister Act for free.

You could get some pretty gold bangle if you're all sparkled out.

 Go, sister, to Swarovski on 34th Street and 7th Avenue, and soon. There's a limited number, and this offer is only good while supplies last.


*one more time: only good while supplies last! Swarovski has a limited quantity of free tickets

Swarovski Penn Plaza 200 W. 34th Street at 7th Avenue

Thursday, April 14, 2011

It's Payless for Springtime

Katie always reminds me that I need to hit up one of our two 34th Street Paylesses for spring shoes. Around this time every year, she'll come by and show me the new Payless flats that get her through months of summer work in Bryant Park. But yesterday we had an exciting development: she bought these Fioni booties, now on sale for $24.99.


After she purchased them, Katie spotted the Fionis on one of her favorite fashion bloggers, Kendi (below, and here). These are really adorable booties, but you won't find them online and you won't find very many sizes at Payless on 34th Street, as they are almost completely gone. In the Broadway & 34th store I spotted 6 1/2's and 7's.

Photo from Kendi Everyday

You can find the fabulous Dexter Marina Boat Moc Boot (below) online but not in store, unless Payless ships some more. The manager told me this morning that they only received one per size as a test. Hopefully soon more will be flying in, because this is one crazy boat moc boot that I've got to see in person.

 


Payless 110 W. 34th Street at Broadway
&
Payless 484 Eighth Avenue at 34th Street

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Fossil Preview for Summer & Fall 2011: The Shoes & Watches

The Fossil previews are always so stocked full of goodies, it takes two days to post my picks!  Yesterday was bags, and today is shoes and watches, most of which should be found in the 34th Street store come summer and fall.



Easily, I thought, my favorite boot. I adore the heel. I'll take it in the neutral and dark brown.

 

But then I saw this braided trim boot with that really cool low heel, and now I'm torn.


So we will move on to short booties. There are others, but the pony and grey ankle height really grabbed me.There goes the boot budget.

 

Always the silver brogues. But I'd do the other, too, if I could.

 

The guys also have some tough choices. The canvas chukka is a great September/October boot.

 


Adore, adore, the white, orange, and yellow. And what, you don't wear a watch anymore?! You're totally missing out! Go Luddite, stop looking at your iPhone for the time of day, and put something pretty on your wrist. I say this with great faith because Fossil gifted previewers with a gorgeous Michele watch at their event, and I'm totally back and hooked on the timepiece.


Fossil 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Fossil Preview for Summer & Fall 2011: The Bags

It's so easy to lead with animal print. This bag was one of my favorites at the Fossil preview I attended last week. It's oozing old-school, animal print charm.





It's tough to pick a favorite, but all of these represent Fossil's strength in bags: consistent selection in the classics, practical shapes in whimsical colors, and always a gorgeous new print every season (see animal and flower above).

 

Look for these in the 34th Street Fossil store this summer and fall.

Fossil 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues