FIT Senior Fashion Show 2008: Childrenswear

Childrenswear, with the kids modeling, is an obvious crowd pleaser! And what fun, these kids worked that runway and showed off some adorable fashions. I had many favorites, but my number one was:

Can you stand it? She's a little Dutch mushroom! Designed by Sarah Boardman, this red wool cape with mushroom dots & multiple-print dress was too, too cute. Again, check out this website for a much better photo & the critic winner's outfit by Annie Nicholas.


And more photos: left is Cathleen Cha's beaded knit top w/grey beaded vest and black sparkly pants; below left is Violene Percy's rust wool jacket w/pleated collor & sleeves; and last is Christina Tammera's fun silk charmeuse dress w/red bow and jewels. All age appropriate and clever designs.

Full Fashion Disclosure: Payless Summer Collections

I am bereft. Why? I have seen the Abaete for Payless summer collection on 34th Street and I only want one thing. This "Big Sky Collection," inspired by a trip to Montana, isn't doing it for me. I would love to find myself in Montana, but not so much in these shoes. Sandals with beaded accents skew American Indian, a style favored by many women in my family but not fully embraced by myself. I can take a tiny bit of fringe (not on denim, please), a little silver jewelry, MAYBE a few beads, but I can't get on board for the whole shebang. And while these shoes aren't at all too beady, I'm just not thrilled:

Then, while commiserating with self over Big Sky sandals, I suddenly spotted something adorable:

Summer Lela Roses. Isn't that blue sneak/flat thing cute? And that green flat is so simple and such a pretty hue, I'm charmed. Both are $30. And here's the blue thing in tan, from the Payless website:

Is it, could it be, kind of preppy? Am I, in my old age, rejecting the downtown girl aesthetic and replacing her with an uptown sensibility? Well, for the 2008 Payless summer collection, yes, I am. But I'm not giving up on Abaete, never. I'll still be scouring Payless in August, keeping a keen eye out for her always fabulous boot collection.


Payless, 110 W. 34th @ Broadway

FIT Senior Fashion Show 2008: Knitwear

My favorite of all the categories, knitwear, was a drop dead segment. Look out for these kids.






I'm all agog over critic winner Yoojin Lee's merino weave detail black bubble dress (1st from left). Must have those leg warmers! This reminds me of Sass & Bide, a most-desired collection for fall.

And the next pictures left to right: Rebecca Johnson, orange striped merino dress w/grey sweater scarf (innovative, love that); and Alessia Baldi, front and back, cropped cardigan (great collar) & brown leather bustier dress w/merino lace overskirt. All in all, a really creative and inventive showing full of color and texture. Bravo!

FIT Senior Fashion Show 2008: Sportswear

This was a fun show and had five whole categories of woman's clothing. So old school and entertaining. Each day this week I'll show a little selection; today is sportswear. Sorry, all of these FIT photos stink! I was right at the end of the runway and on top of the spotlights. But check out these impressive shapes and interesting styles. Favorite trends in this sportswear category were geometric cuts, layering, and great focus on the back (true for all of the show, which was full of stunning back details. Just like Fall 2008 collections!).

Designers & clothes, left to right, top and bottom rows: Busra Azizoglu, gorgeous layered back lapel detailing; Jaclyn Alvo, grey double layered shrug w/painted skirt; Victoria Spector, asymmetric zipper blouse w/silver tiered skirt; India Davis, magenta motorcycle jacket w/color block tunic; Margherita Paglia, cream satin print shirt over layered tops, leggings & skirt; Hye-Sook Han, khaki military dress & vinyl coat.



























My favorite is that magenta motorcycle jacket over the tunic and the Margherita Paglia. I adore that chic, city-ease look and her varied prints. Click here for more information on the show and some professional pictures!

Some Old Navy Dresses

Some of the girls, as promised:










They are organized unnatural to natural fibers. That first hot green mess is $34.50, and I couldn't resist. Please remember with most of these that you, the reader, most likely own a waist. I do not, so imagine how cute these girly concoctions would look a little cinched in. We won't discuss my upper arms, but let that back photo be a good reminder to my young friend "Laura" who wants to cover that particular area with tattoos. Ahem, at risk of sounding like your mother, in fifteen years you will SO regret it!

I digress. As stated yesterday, I'm not fond of the wrinkly rayon/acrylic dresses. But those first two were too bright and cheery to pass up. Again, there's that lovely orange, also $34.50. And the cotton dresses? So easy to buy. That grey, with the sexy back? The strapless empire-waist purple? The disco stripes? $24.50 and yes, yes, yes. The green ($29.50) I'm not so yes, but that's only because of my inexplicable aversion to back ties. This dress has the back ties, so I cannot get on board. But these Old Navy colors are dead on, right?

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

Old Navy Combos

It's true, I have been remiss in shopping Old Navy. It's an old, hanger-on prejudice now wiped clean away. Well, almost. Here are the pros:

• No item limits in the dressing room. If I want I can take the whole damn store in to try on;
• The lovely dressing room attendant didn't bat an eye as I piled the whole store on her table upon leaving, saying "sorry!" and her saying "no, don't worry!" Yes, this was 34th Street, New York City, not 34th Street, Des Moines Iowa;
• Old Navy is visually well organized, and 34th Street has two floors for women and a maternity section. A maternity kimono on sale was so cute I almost bought it;
• Pricing is recession proof, especially the discounted T-shirts (2nd flr, $7.99) and a tube top (sale price $4.99) that I spotted later on a girl at a 'wichcraft kiosk in Bryant Park.

And what would pros be without cons:

• Questionable cheap material on some cute dresses (but they are under $40);
• Sizing isn't great for me, which means it must be better for those under 5'10;
• PLEASE, Old Navy, upgrade your skirt hangers. Currently one needs the jaws of life to open every other one;
  
• Their bikini bottoms don't like my rear end. Pretty much run-of-the-mill for me and bikini bottoms, but one always hopes, and tries...

Let's go to the pictures. I apologize for the many fuzzy photos, but I was very itchy, sensitive and swollen thanks to a certain culinary establishment's "calamari." Trying on clothes was almost painful, and wrestling those skirt hangers open made my fingers swell. So the photography was a little compromised.

The black skirt ($29.50) with plain tank (2 for $15), with dotted, puff-sleeve cardigan ($24.50), and with slouchy ruffles ($14.50):

Same style, different color skirt. The grey shows off the wrinkles nicely, yes?! The taupe jacket ($39.50) paired with the black skirt would probably be better, but I was experimenting. I would also go down one size in the jacket:

The polka dot skirt ($29.50) with a silky soft grey T, and a bright T. You might want to go with a purple hue, but I love this Old Navy tangerine. Click on the bird's eye view and see what a winner this skirt is:

The shorts ($24.50). Why not, as they look cute with every top here (black $19.50 on sale, flower $24.50 & green, $22.50):

Tomorrow, Old Navy dresses to thrown on for hot summer weekends.


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

So Much To Do...

Fuel up, kids, because there's a lot of new shopping on 34th Street today. First up, the Gap Artist Editions T-shirts in celebration of the 2008 Whitney Biennial debut in stores:


I spotted these in The New Yorker, and have my eye on the Hanna Liden big bird (bottom right). And Stephanie Seymour in the Jeff Koons? Sexy. Looks like they are all $28.



Next, get thee to Footaction on 7th & 34th at 3pm for an old school, bad-ass celebrity sighting: the Rev Run will be dropping by to promote the release of the "Icon Sneaker." Ladies, I may have to stalk him a little because Run-DMC is, well, remember the video for "Walk this Way?" Aerosmith has never been so cool.

Last, Steve & Barry's Laird Hamilton Wonderwall collection, a surf and skate apparel line for men, debuts today. Everything is $9.98 or less. Not familiar with Laird Hamilton? Girls, he's the hot blond surfer dude married to Gabrielle Reece and famous for mastering those crazy, 70 ft. waves. Take a cue from Laird's collection and plan a guy-centric night at home for the man. Rent Riding Giants, a seminal surfing movie starring Laird, surprise your guy with a new pair of Wonderwall board shorts (above), and dress yourself down with SJP's Bitten loungewear (this should include boy shorts). Works every time.

Gap, 60 W. 34th at 6th Avenue
Footaction, 430 7th at 34th
Steve & Barry's, Manhattan Mall level 2, 33rd @ 6th