Diary of a Labellover By A. Fashionista

To swim or not to swim: briefs or board shorts, boys?

I thought it was perfect timing to blog about men's swimwear while people in America take off work to celebrate our nation's birthday. As I strolled the beach I pondered the state of men's swimwear and noticed that most American men all had the same suit - Hawaiian flowered knee board short!  It was enough to make me laugh out loud.  Having been to the Mediterranean and South America on holiday I can confirm that men there tend to take a more stylish approach to their beach style.  Therefore, I thought I'd offer up some advice on swimsuit shopping for guys...

• Investment is key - spending a little more on swimsuit will go a long way.  Since men tend to be much more active at the beach, it is important to purchase a swimsuit with cotton/lyrca/nylon blend.  Cotton because it is natural and absorbs sweat, lyrca because of its performance in the water and nylon for its lightness and ability to dry quickly.   Armed with this information you can determine the swimsuit perfect fitted for your lifestyle. 
  

• New technology - The tan thru suit from Solar was developed out of a textile technology that is created from thousands of pores in the fabric.  It is 3 times finer than silk, but has the comfort, versatility and endurance of a regular swimsuit because it comprised of 68% nylon and 32% spandex.  Of course, they also have a 5-10 UV filter so you never have to worry about a burn in the wrong place ;-)  This is definitely for the the guy who is looking for the active guy who  is concerned about that farmer tan!
  

• Style:  Boardshorts are for the active male who likes to go from water to land with ease. O'Neil' , Billabong and Quicksilver are the top brands I recommend.  Killerdana.com has them all and more!   Briefs are the best choice for the beach lounger who enjoys a casual dip.  They are my personal fav too! Of course nobody designs a better brief than the Brazilians. Rosa Cha is a designer line  I discovered while on holiday in South America, after visiting their flagship store in Sao Paulo.  Check out Amir Slama's latest sleek designs in his 2008 show below... Barneys, Bloomies and Saks stock the Rosa Cha line, need I say more?

I would like to give a one last style shout out to the local 16 year old surfer gang in Brigantine who rocked their personal swimwear style amid a sea of boring "hawaiian flowers..  Thanks boys!

Victory for Vuitton...Ebay charged with selling fakes, no!

After a long, albeit fashionable battle in  French court, LVMH came out the victor against the web's largest auction site, Ebay. The court has ordered that auction house pay the renowned leather goods manufacturer an estimated $63.1 million dollars for allowing the sale of fake bags and accessories through the so-called Ebay stores.    Monsieur Vuitton must be rolling over in his grave upon hearing this!

In case you didn't know, Louis Vuitton  takes counterfeiting v. seriously and employs a team of lawyers and agencies to fight against it.  At any one time, they have approximately 60 people within their network fighting against it.  When you note the statistic that approximately 1% of LV items sold in with the monogram are actually authentic it is quite staggering and makes you understand why a company would  be so tough on counterfeiting..

In the mean time, if you are yearning for the LV bag but dont want to sacrifice your first born or your life savings to get one, try your local consignment shop.    There are tons in NYC alone, along Madison in the 70s but my favorite is Designer Resale on 81st and 1st.  Remember if they are a reputable shop , they will have to authenticate the bag first so you should have not problems walking into a LV boutique and asking them to verify the authenticity.  Going consignment will save you at least 40% on the original price...

Inspired by a Killer night in music

The other night I had the pleasure of getting to see Eric A., an Art Director from the ad agency I work at.  He performed with his band, the Kabuki Killers in the East Village, NYC.  Although, Otto's Shrunken Head is not normally the place where my Prada heels would normally frequent,  there was an excitement about seeing someone outside of their normal everyday element.

When they went on stage, they had presence. Perfect for Otto's "down and dirty" vibe.   I haven't listened to punk since college. This band made me reminisce back to the Ramones concert at WVU my freshman year.  It just so happens that the Ramones are  influential to the songwriting ways of Kabuki clan. 

I don't work for the A&R dept of  a prominent music label so I can't tell you technically if the music itself was great. Nor could I point out  the strengths and weaknesses of the performance.  However, judging by the crowd, and they way they were shouting "Encore!" and playing air drum and air guitar, the word "inspirational" does come to mind.....

Check their songs out for yourself on their MySpace page........

Its No Name bling but it will get you noticed

You heard me. It's No Name. This husband and wife design team are so cool they don't even have the pedestrian ".com" in their web address, so their site is reflective of the bling they sell:  sophisticated, cutting edge and simple.  They are modest when it comes to their talet and their style but but believe me Joe J. and his wife, Jeanju Choi J.,  are style mavens themselves, setting the trends with their intelligent artistry (after all it is based on the Periodic Table of Elements). Apparently, I'm not alone in that opinion either, they even received kudos from British Vogue, so that street cred alone is priceless...

At the moment their design portfolio consists of rings in gold, silver and platinum.  However, word on the street is that they are looking to expand.  That would be music to A.Fashionista's ears if they did cufflinks!  Unfortunately, for us,  Joe J. likes to things on the DL though so we will just have to wait and see..

The silver ring with a reasonable price point of $255.00 makes the perfect gift.  Of course, if you really want to spoil  your honey opt for the Platinum...

The absent blogger

My apologies for neglecting to post these past two and half weeks.  There is no excuse!  I promise I have lots to say and will do so in the next coming days..From no name bling, to Killer Bands, A. Fashionista is breaking out of her fashion mold and covering it all!  Wow!  Stay connected........

A. Fashionista's father's day gift ideas

Father's day is two weeks away, so I have decided to take the guess work out of the Father's Day gift scramble and offer up a few suggestions.  Usually, I get my father a tie from some designer he can't pronounce the name of but this father's day I wanted to be special, since he will be turning 60 just two days prior.  Therefore with a little "elbow grease" and some research, I was able to contact the NCAA Championships Chair to see if I could get a hold of a 1968 Sugar Bowl watch (Wyoming v. LSU).  Since my father lost his Sugar Bowl watch in Grand Cayman, he refuses to wear any other watch as a result.  If I could replace it he would be thrilled..

• Coffee Connoisseur:  A French Coffee Press from Bodum perhaps?  Or maybe your father prefers a modern designed stainless press ?  Either way, this Scandinavian company is brewing something right given the multitude of design awards they won in 2007.    From their award-winning Chambord French Press   to their "kick butt" coffee grinders, Bodum has whatever the Coffee lover craves...And with free standard shipping on order over $75, I think we can finally say goodbye to Starbucks!

• Fashionable Father:    Your dad has an urbane style and sophistication that men in their 30's should model.  His face is next to the term "growing old gracefully" in the dictionary.  If this is your dad, have I got the gift for you!  One of my fav sites, gilt.com is hosting a cuffinks sale, tomorrow, 4.10 starting at 12pm.  Links of London,  known for their unique designs and recent winners of best UK jewellery designers of 2007,  this sale is definitely not to be missed!  A company that started from a  famous a commission for fish-shaped 'links!   Your father will be touched by the uniqueness of the gift.  Don't forget, they only way to experience this, is to join gilt today through my membership page.  Remember, it's FREE to join.

• Grillin' Aficionado:   Does your dad grill no matter what the temperature? If so, a durable BBQ set is the must-have gift.   After extensive research, I recommend the Weber Stainless Steel BBQ Tool Set from Cooking.com.  Not only is it priced right at $24.95 but the set is made out of stainless steel so its dishwasher safe and with the Weber reputation being the "ultimate grilling authority", I think they will stand behind the product. 

• The Oenophile:  Is your father a sniffer of Cabs?  Does he prefer  the lightness of a Beaujolais to the heavy weight of a Bordeaux? If so, grandharvestwines.com  Three bottles of wine are sent monthly right to your front door and you have the option to prepay for a minimum of 3 months. The total being only $195.  Did I mention they have a Scotch and Cigar club too?  It's the gift that you can enjoy with your father......

• Massage Junkie:  Does the word "massage" put a smile on your dad's face?  Does he indulge in saunas at his local gym?  If the answer is a resounding "yes" a gift certificate for a massage would ease those tense muscles immediately.  Spafinder.com has an intuitive search tool to help you choose.  When you purchase a gift certificate for $100 or more you get free shipping. They even have options of extra gifts you can include with the gift certificate.  The best thing about the gift certificate is that your dad gets to choose what location he wants to uses it at! 

• Sports Enthusiast:  Is shouting at the TV during a game a something that your father believes will help motivate his team? Why not treat him to what he would love most and get ticket to a live action game? Ticketsnow.com is an intuitive, ticket portal that gives you access to any sporting event under the sun!   So instead of couch surfing, your dad can be in the thick of the action screaming at the ref and the players in real time..

No matter what you end up buying for your father remember the most important thing is to tell him that you love him.  I am v. close with my dad and I am grateful every day that he is there for me, whether I need him to be or not. 

Crawlin' "in the club" - legwarmers are a sexy accessory for the knees

My first pole dancing class at S Factor was on Sunday.  Candle light workout.  4 other girls.  3 poles.  I missed the first class and didnt know we had to wear our shoes!  Our instructor, bless her Asian heart, said I could wear hers.  So while all the other girls wore there normal "every day" heels I had the pleasure of wearing these "Rock of Love III" bad boys  (pictured below) 3" platform, 3" heels.  Apparently, they are designed for the pole.  :-)   I am now the proud owner of the v. same pair. After all, I got used to wearing them - although you would never see this fashionista stomping down the sidewalks of NYC in them.

Needless to say, I learned a new pole trick, the "ballerina", which I picked up pretty quickly - I am proud to say!  More importantly, we learned how to perform two kinds of crawls: the "cat crawl" and the "wild cat crawl" - the main difference being that the wild cat crawl is same knee, same arm.  These are v. important because  they finish off the "ballerina" trick and can also be incorporated in the choreographed striptease.

After, crawling with my head down, sinewy-like on the bare floor quite a few times, I started thinking that leg warmers could be a v. sexy but practical accessory.  Just think it is just one extra thing to take off.

The last part of the class is always the striptease.  Our instructor lets us bring in our own music.   One song that I personally connect with is Usher's "in the club" which I think actually resonated with the entirely class. :-)  We were told to visualize someone/something and let me tell you Usher does a v. good job of that! That is what I love about my pole dancing class - the liberating feeling you get, just letting yourself go as you wrap your body around the pole, let your body speak for you.

As a special treat,  I thought I would try and take you THERE as well..

Usher - Love In This Club feat. Young Jeezy

RIP Monsieur Laurent - your designs will be missed

Sunday, June 1, was a sad day for the fashion world.  Yves Saint Laurent was a trend setting designer who understood how to make a woman feel sexy and comfortable.   I could wax lyrical about his accomplishments as a designer:  being the prodigy of Dior as a teenager,  then revitalizing the House to its former glory after Dior died in 1957.  Let us  not forget to mention him starting the first ready to wear line under his own name, "YSL Rive Gauche" in 1962, when all designers designed with haute couture in mind.   If you go to my facebook page , you can check out a video of his collection..

Perhaps Monsieur Laurent is most famous for "le smoking suit" (pictured right)  aka the woman's tuxedo, for which modern day designers such as Dolce and Gabbana, Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren strived to follow in his footsteps.
In fact, YSL actually sued Ralph Lauren and won, over copying his tuxedo dress design from his 1992/93 collection. 

Yes, Monsieur Laurent knew style. He understood the modern woman. In searching for YSL quotes yesterday, I came across a beautiful one that I thought captured the spirit of femininity and fashion perfectly: 

"The most beautiful clothes that can dress a woman are the arms of the man she loves. But for those who haven't had the fortune of finding this happiness, I am there." (1983)

Shopping on Rodeo Drive and you dont have to worry about parking

Yes. Ever think you could shop with your own personal shopper on rodeo drive and not pay the Beverly Hills price tag?  At rodeodriveresale.com you can.  This brick and mortar store located in sunny SoCal in West Hills, also has a robust and intuitive online store so geographically-challenged fashionistas, like myself, living on the east coast, can still reap the beni's of the consigned,fabulous authentic designer clothing and accessories.  

The two things that set them apart from other consignment shops:  1) 30 & 60 day layaway 2) personal shopper program. 

The layaway program is a blessing from the fashion godz! As long as the item is valued at $50.00, Rodeo makes it easy for someone to buy that sought after Chanel suit or rare bag they have always longed for but didn't want to go into debt-of-a-small-country over.  When you find what you like, just fill out their layaway form which requires a 25% upfront deposit.  If you decide to do the 60 day layaway program just be sure to make your second payment by the 30th day.   Pretty soon, that must-have bag will be yours!  It's that easy!

Wish you could have the personal shopper that the social and fashion elite get at Barneys, Bergdorfs and higher end 90210 boutiques? Become a preferred client of rodeo drive resale is your way in to VIP treatment, expedited shipping, and personal recommendations based on your style preferences.  All it takes is a few minutes to fill out a a style survey and voila! you will receive email notifications when your sizes and designers are available in the boutique.  Did I mention that you are saving 60-70% off the original retail price as most of the clothing and accessories consigned is from socialites and celebrities?? 

I know I have my eye on this delicious pink Ferragamo handbag.  In 60 days I am hoping it will be mine!
 

The Ideel site for giveaways - upgrade your style

If you aren't a member yet through Oprah's code, the WSJ,  InStyle mag or becoming a fan on the site Facebook, then for the love of Chanel join FREE through the Diary.  I am a first row fashionista, so I get notified of  sales  first via my mobile.  Not to mention the added beni of getting texted "giveaway" alerts,one of Ideeli's random "designer drawings" that they hold throughout the month exclusively for their first row members.  For only $7.99/month it is a bargain because every ideeli member is guaranteed to win at some point. And you haven't joined yet, why???

Some of the must have designer accessories are being featured "giveways":

Fendi Pantone Baguette - Silvia Venturini Fendi is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her family's famous bag, the Fendi baguette, by allowing customers to create their own! A  bag that doubles as a blank canvas accompanied by 10 Pantone markers because Silvia believes their is an artist in every fashionista!




Prada Purple Pouchette - The 3 Ps.  Try saying that one fast 5 times.  Absolutely gorgeous dahling.  This bag makes black look blah. Miucca has done it again.  Genius.



Valentino Nuage Bow Bag - Valentino may officially be in retirement but this bag is anything old.   In person it is even more gorgeous!  Everything about it SCREAMS sexy - the red, the patent leather, the free form shape! Apparently, I am not the only who thinks so either.  The ideeli discussion forms are buzzing about this marvelous creature.


Live the ideeli life-become a first row fashionista  today!