Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Retro Rock N Roll Glamour Shopping Party - Zac Posen for Target Launch Party

I had major complexes about going to the Zac Posen for Target Launch Party. The 24-hour shop-in event was supposed to satisfy most fashionista's dreams. But let me tell you --- getting off my butt at 11pm, lining up at the entrance, and waiting in 40-some degrees F weather was not my idea of fun. The party was only two blocks away from my place, so I can't say the thought didn't tempt me at all. And how often can one say that they went to a launch party? I mean, nowadays, launch parties are like birthday parties. Anyone who has done some little finger art, made a few songs, wrote a column...heck, invented some sugar-free sugar nutritional additive, is going to throw themselves a launch party. Left and right, I'm tellin' ya.

Okay, so what makes this launch party special? That's what I kept asking myself over and over again while I got out of bed, re-applied my MAC Brave Red lipstick, threw some shampoo hairspray into my hair, and put on a pair of wedges to meet up with my friend Vanessa to line up for this shindig.

Well, for starters, how many designers that have collaborated with Target have actually had a celebration party that happened a week before the clothing line launched nationwide? Okay, fine. Maybe there is something to this, I thought.

When I got inside, I had no regrets. It was really the experience, the marketing campaign, the party, the tunes...the set deco quenched the month-long thirst my eyeballs were undergoing. It was a visual inundation of pizazz, glamour, rock, femininity, balloons, roses, chandeliers, velvet carpets and red lips.



The looks from the Target collection weren't too bad either. Styled quite right. Hard to imagine that other women pay thousands to wear the runway stuff right? Below are some of my favoured looks:



Ahh, the printed scarf around the head. How Grace Kelly, floating along the French Riviera in a sailboat....

I walked home empty-handed, because, being a patternmaker, a snobby side of me comes out and all I can think about when I'm shopping is fit, quality, construction, and...the sleeve. Oh, the sleeve. It all has to look nice. That's just what happens when you're usually surrounded by beautifully tailored pieces at work all day. Such a disappointment to see that my creative mind can be stunted by an overly calculative habit I've developed from a skill required to make the creative vision of garments come to life. How ironic. And who am I to buy a thousand quid garment that satisfies my checklist of things a beautiful garment should have? Just wait for a design collabo with Target to come out right? Oh, the irony, again.

My favorite part of the evening had to be The Like performing live. Their retro rock n'roll sound and the '60's party style outfits from the Target collection were a perfect match too.


Wait, was that "Z" on Elizabeth "Z" Berg's guitar a coincidence?



I mean, yes. I, too, have always wanted to rock out and play the drums in a poly-organza party dress.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Easter Hat Parade NY - Flora and Fauna


My favorite hats and crazy outfits that day were the floral ones that Sunday reminded me of Spring. (I know, you must be so sick of hearing me talk about Spring all the time, but really, I love it!) This Japanese Marie Antoinette, above, (who even went through the trouble to wear panniers around her hips) was my faaaaave, next to my friend Vanessa's of course (keep scrolling).







peace and love


And of course, to the leading lady that introduced me to all this fancy hat excitement: Vanessa, whose 4 ft tall, 20 lb hat consecutively tops all other hats every year. All those nights of gluing and glittering flowers and butterflies was well worth it. There was constantly a crowd of locals and tourists pushing each other to get a picture with her. So nice to see the fruits of much creative fun!


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Yes, sometimes I like cutesy things. Do you have a problem with my schizophrenia?



I've been so busy doing things outside of the cyber world that meeting Angelique and her friends today reminded me of our previous coffee excursion two weeks ago!

Spring came early in New York, and despite a couple days of heavy rain, the weather was beautiful (as I kept hoping for in my Simple Diary). We met up for some much needed Starbucks caffeine, and noticed that we both happened to bust out our Spring shoes. We caught up on our little lives in the big world of fashion.

Spring gives me so much energy: the more optimistic the color, the better. The more light gossip, the better. The more energy-boosting drinks to compound current said energy...the best. That's why all the pink, all the ribbons, all the gingham, all the smiley faces, and the Dreamy Poppy nail polish in these pictures make me become nostalgic for that very Saturday Angelique and I decided to meet up for Starbucks on a spring day.