'Tis the Season

Unforeseen perks about living in New York City during the holidays: passing by Christmas tree stands, which virtually appeared overnight. There seems to be one every two or so blocks, and when I walk by, I'm smacked in the face with the warm, refreshing scent of fir trees. I'm that girl who stops and buries her face in the lush needles. Are you surprised? Not at all? Is that a compliment? No? Plus, at night, there are strands of bobbing lights criss-crossed over them. It's like a Christmas fairy just decided to do something about the smell of trash sitting on First Avenue.

When my family opted to buy an enormous (and fake) 12-foot tree, I insisted on getting my own real miniature tree. I just love the fragrance: inviting, a little sharp, and cozy. I get that needles make a mess and dry trees make for an unpleasant fire hazard, but I think that that's worth it. (Although I'd probably take a different stance if I, say, accidentally burned down my building). (Knock on wood). (Pun unintended but so awesome that I'm going to allow it). Real or faux, which do you prefer?


[photo cred here]

For the Love of Leopard

On any given day, I walk at least 44 blocks to and from work. It's actually a fantastic commute—I just stroll down First Ave, under the 59th St Bridge, and cut over to Third. I think it's very good for my temper that I don't try to squeeze into a rush-hour 6 train, but the havoc that my walk wreaks on my feet? Not so much. Pumps are out of the question, and I'll only wear wedges when I'm desperate. (I keep a pair of each under my desk). (Obviously).

I'm crushing on a good pair of flats that, comfort and endurance aside, will make an easy transition to the office. My Bensimon sneakers won't cut it (cute as they are) and my satin Marc by Marc boat shoes are already really pissed that I let them near the gritty sidewalks of Chicago. These Madewell leopard print skimmers ($118; Click to Buy) are perfect. I love the pointed toe and the honest-to-God calf hair. Bonus: they're neutral enough to match almost everything, but still add a playful touch. And it's at moments like this that I regret memorizing my credit card number. But are they worth it? Absolutely.


[photo cred to Atlantic Pacific blog, top, and here]

Lunch Dates

I like having lunch dates with myself from time to time. I pack lunch as often as I can and, since it's too depressing to eat alone at my desk, I wander over to Bryant Park to sit in the shade. Sometimes, when it's crowded and I don't get a table in the shade, I melt. The sun radiates heat and the ground radiates heat and I think I'm in hell. Other times, I people-watch and eavesdrop (one lawyer had to take the bar exam four times before he passed it). Most of the time, I read a book.

Whenever I get bored of Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck (which is surprisingly amusing, complete with imaginary conversations), I take advantage of the Bryant Park Reading Room. There are books + it's free = no reason not to go. The best part? If you show up at about 5:30 PM, you'll get a good view of corporate men in suits playing ping pong. It is delightful, mostly because they seem so out of place. And because I like men in suits.


[photo cred to Vanessa Jackmen for Grazia IT and Jenna]

Citizens Versus Earnest Sewn

I had a torrid love affair with Citizens of Humanity. And it was so hot. So hot that the spark was still there even after I skidded across the floor in Grand Central's main concourse trying to catch a train, and my new jeans unceremoniously tore at the knee. What successfully smothered the flame altogether was when another pair ripped at the same spot while I was exuberantly jumping for joy after another consecutive win at Singstar Karaoke. And these are my knees. This isn't a matter of weight gain or motivational shopping. Good denim should simply wear well, retain its shape, and survive the result of multiple video game wins.
I fell deeply out of love with Citizens and into the open arms of Earnest Sewn. How I chose Earnest Sewn, I don't quite remember. It had something to do with Barneys and the Harlan cut making my ass look like 70 degrees on a February weekend in Chicago. This is unimportant. The thing is, Earnest Sewn jeans are made of steel. I'm doing squats and lunges as I type, yet the denim is still intact. It is milled in either Japan or Italy and later cut and assembled in the United States. The material itself is supple but strong, and the weight is closer to True Religion than Joe's Jeans (meaning it's heavier. Joe's Jeans are made of rice paper). The cut (Harlan is my personal favorite) is extremely flattering as well, and most of the washes are specifically chosen to give the illusion of longer legs. The only drawback that I can find with Earnest Sewn jeans is that the back pockets are placed a bit wide on the seat of the pants; for girls with hips that can't lie because they're too perfect for popping out babies, this makes the hips look even bigger.
Nevertheless, the trade-offs are worth it. I don't have $400 (including tax) worth of ragged and unworn Citizens sitting in my bureau, and if my hips seem a bit larger? I've heard that that's a turn-on.

Oh my darling oh my darling:

The Case for Lanvin

I have an inherent weakness for any ballet flats that make my size 9.5 feet seem dainty. But when these magical shoes ring in at a tear-inducing $530, you'd better know what you're paying for and why. I worked for about two months before I was able to save enough cash to afford the tax on these shoes. Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you calculate the value of price per wear, they cost me about $0.20/day.
A huge perk is the exclusivity. I first saw the Lanvin ballet flats in Elle magazine about two years ago, in the issue where Naomi Watts is on the cover. They were green, they were worn, they were perfect. Unfortunately, by the time I could afford them, Barneys (the only retailer on this side of the Atlantic that carries the flats. Big misstep there, Saks) had sold out of everything but the patent leather pairs. I refuse to pay more than $10 for patent leather - regular leather wears better than patent, looks more expensive, and lasts far longer. I was lucky that Barneys had just received a limited-quantity shipment of white leather flats with metallic silver edging. I tried them on. Housewives of New York gasped as my feet suddenly became a size 7. Factor in the assurance that no one west of Broadway would make it to Barneys in time to snag a pair, and I was sold. Rather, the shoes were sold. To me.
It's been two years and I have my eye on another pair. Why? Because it isn't until you buy them and open the rich, sky blue box that you figure out that they're handmade in Italy by craftsmen out of the finest calfskin available. Not one craftsman, but two! And they devote two weeks to your two shoes, that fit snugly and perfectly on your two feet. It's a sickness, sure, but the best sickness ever. The calfskin is soft, supple, and durable, though it does require care. I don't eat veal so I consider this a proper tradeoff.

I'll admit that this isn't the shoe's best angle, so try to find them up close and personal and tell me you don't fall deeply in love. I've decided, upon my family's recent decision to go to France for the fourth year in a row (we really enjoy escargot), that I'm going to waltz into the Lanvin flagship in Paris and choose from a much wider array than what Barneys offers. I also want to find Alber Elbaz, give him a hug, and make him my best friend forever. Conveniently, I have a good three weeks before this dream comes to fruition, so hopefully I'll work enough to compensate for the dollars (decreasing) weakness against the euro.

Woodbury Commons or, Why I Love Outlets

I'm of the camp that believes if an item is on sale, then nobody else wants it. And when push comes to shove, who wants something that no one else wants? There may be some potential, but it takes an innovative and creative eye to see the good in something so rejected, even at a low price. For those of us who aren't so charitable, we have outlets to fall back on.

I'm talking specifically about Woodbury Commons, nestled mere feet from, but not quite in, New Jersey. New Jersey loves the outlets but most people don't love New Jersey, so this geographical strategy was a top-notch decision. Located off of the NY Thruway at the Harriman Tolls, these outlets appeal to jaded New Yorkers, Asian tourists, and New Jersey soccer moms alike.
The first thing to take note of is the fact that while many of the stores are not cheap, you can hit the occasional jackpot if you take long enough to scour Tods or Fendi. You will never find a decent sale in Prada or Chanel, but the YSL, Max Mara, and Bottega Veneta boutiques are truly fantastic. Most of the items within the stores are past season stock that didn't hit it big enough to demand a waitlist. Even better are the budget-conscious chains, such as J. Crew and French Connection, which offer many designs for less than $100.
The only catch to this fantastic warehouse of perfectly good designer buys is that you have to dodge various Asians (many of them my own family members) taking pictures in front of every store as well as the inevitable duds that you're bound to come across. There are SO MANY marked-down Tods ballet flats, but you might be better off sticking with this season's splurge that doesn't have patent leather tips.
I was lucky enough to stumble across these darlings, a pair of strappy black patent leather Fendi sandals for half the original price. Sure, they were shown in the Spring 2009 show, but they're kind to both my wallet, my legs, and my self-confidence. When all is said and done, there's no going wrong with a great find like such.

(Note: The Tanger Outlets have various locations along the northeasten seaboard, in the event that Woodbury Commons is not in your backyard)

Topshop Versus Uniqlo

While both foreign imports reign within a mere few blocks of one another in the heart of Soho, Uniqlo and Topshop manage to cater to extremely varied clientele. First, Uniqlo. Let's be real - take a peek here and just admit that this is an eerily glorified version of American Apparel. The Broadway store itself is similar, although Uniqlo is cleaner, bigger, and much less of a mass market. Agyness Deyn can vouch for it until she turns blue in the face, but face it: there are only so many ways to reimagine a tank. Nevertheless, Uniqlo is fresh from Japan and boasts colorful basics at a considerably low price point, save for the occasional capsule collection by Alexander Wang and the forthcoming Jil Sander, aptly christened +J. This is cool, Uniqlo. Jil Sander, in particular, fits in with the clean, neat lines of the Uniqlo staples while Mr. Wang has an obvious weakness for simple, well-cut tees, hence the recent creation of T by Alexander Wang. These not only fail to be surprises, but will bring nothing very innovative to the store. The most credit I can offer to Uniqlo is the successful wooing of Sander in the first place, as she's a much more seasoned designer than Wang.

Ahh, but Topshop has Kate Moss, muse to experimental preteens worldwide. Admittedly, when I first stepped into the US flagship on Broome St. and Broadway, I inwardly groaned at the idea of an even trendier H&M (is that even possible?). But to my delight, Topshop happens to be four floors of pure sex. First of all, as a college junior, I'd like to applaud the fact that the store offers a 10% discount with a student ID. ALL OF THE TIME. If that's not an incentive, well just knee me in the heart. Additionally, Topshop not only carries the cheapest basics I've ever seen in my life, but dabbles (and by dabbles, I mean obsesses over) trends as well.
Pour exemple, if you look closely at these shots from the Dior Homme Spring 2010 collection, what do you see?

Cheekbones chiseled out of my stone cold heart? Check! Anything else? WHY YES, THAT IS MESH. And if you think very hard, who oh who would carry mesh pieces? Right, Topshop. I would know because I purchased, for 10% off of its not-very-exorbitant price, a lavender mesh motorcycle jacket. I understand that this sounds rather impractical, but when you consider that the price point, though not without a wide range, is not much higher than that of Uniqlo, this buy makes more sense than buying two tees that I already own.

In addition to the mesh, please note that the cut of the jacket hints at the hit piece that Christophe Decarnin of Balmain created for the label's Fall 2009 show. A happy purple marriage of the current mesh and the tried-and-true cut? I'm down.
Another perk is (hence the shoddy home photo quality) since the only American store is in Soho, if you can hoof it there and find something exclusive within the flagship, you won't have someone else mentioning that they bought the same exact thing online. The jacket, clearly, is not available online.

When you tally up the pros and cons of each store, Topshop is the clear winner as far as variety, price, and good clean fun go. Until we see what Ms. Sander has to offer, Uniqlo won't be a worthwhile stop for a wary shopper in NYC.