Haute and the City

As busy publicist and blogger, things like staying organized sometimes evade my grasp.

To the point of this disaster:

Look at how horrified puppy Nathan is. He’s even confiscated a few escaped socks.

This disaster zone includes: Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet, Bridesmaids movie ticket, charity raffle ticket, Ben Sherman tie, Urban Outfitters hat and hoodie, H+M and American Apparel shirts, college hat, Coach wallet, laptop case strap, deodorant, three tote bags (two from fashion week), VIP card to the Kim Crawford bar at NYFW, various business cards, bag of fragrance samples from MiN New York, Voss glass full of change, three CHRISHABANA necklaces and 13 pairs of sunglasses.

With a delayed onset of spring cleaning inspiration, I went to work.

Want to see how I fared?

A bit more organized, no?

We’re left with a just a few items, including leather flowers by Brahmin and a ‘Moroccan Amber’ candle by Nest Fragrances.

John Derian soap dish, CHRISHABANA necklace, Kilian ‘Back to Black’ fragrance + keys.

If you keep your place organized, you’ll find a lot of other things in your life seem to fall into place!

Disclosure: certain items were given to me for the purposes of review and/or coverage. These items include fragrances from MiN New York, candle from Nest Fragrances, Brahmin leather flowers via the Vogue Influencers Network and John Derian soap dish via Ink + Roses. AND I LOVE THEM ALL.

Still on a gift guide hangover from the Haute and the City Holiday Gift Guide, I decided to consult my friend, Doug Mayorga, for some suggestions. Definitely some fun stuff in here if you’re strapped for V-Day ideas!

Girls

Calvin Klein Envy with a Twist Fire Red Tailored Demi Bra

Calvin Klein Envy with a Twist Fire Red Lace Thong

Tyler: Fun, festive and sexy, this Calvin Klein bra and thong set are sure to get your hearts pumping this Valentine’s Day!

Hanky Panky Metallic Zebra Midrise Thong

Tyler: Red not your thing? Hanky Panky provides this lacy little number for those ladies who like to look sexy in black.

Belstaff® leather bomber jacket

Doug: This jacket has a crazy sexy silhouette and with its cropped body, it feels more playful and slightly elevated. She can dress this up with a nice cocktail dress and heels, or she can dress it down with jeans and leather boots and a tee. The options are limitless, but the buttery soft leather gets even softer over time with each wearing. Belstaff was founded in Staffordshire England in 1924 and has been in the weatherproofing industry ever since. They are responsible for some incredibly amazing jacket styles for both men and women that have lasted the test of time and trend alike. The Phoenix emblem symbolizes the company’s rise from its own ashes as new management took over, which means they are heavily invested in their heritage and history and you-the customer.

ZEFFIRA “Heart” Natural Horn Pendant Blonde And Swarovski Necklace

Tyler: Ok, so I may be biased here (ZEFFIRA is one of my clients), but come one, this necklace is gorgeous. Handmade from blond buffalo horn and perfectly-set Swarovski crystals, this heart is a one-of-a-kind piece that she’ll love for years.

Christian Louboutin Glittered Latticework Platform

Tyler: Men know that nothing is sexier than seeing his lady rock some heels. While you can almost never go wrong with that brown Louboutin box, these glittery heels are especially fun, given the light-hearted nature of the holiday.

Dior J’Adore Pret-A-Porte Gift Set

Doug: You know the commercials: the sexy and sultry Charlize Theron has got her cat- and power-walk on, stripping off the jewels, her ethereal gown and declaring this as her scent. This is a nice balance of scents that is sure to tantalize your sniffer and be a tease! Remember there are key points to apply (wrists and collarbone ladies nothing else), plus it means ‘I love’-and who doesn’t wanna smell like love?!

Guys

Alexander McQueen Catacomb Boxer

Tyler: I know ladies love to see their men in Calvin Klein boxers, but maybe compromise with your guy and give him something a bit more bad-ass. Plus, you’ll still love seeing him wear it.

2xist Valentine Contour Pouch Brief

Tyler: If you want to keep it festive with black and red, try these Valentine’s briefs from our friends at 2(x)ist.

Chrishabana Silver And Gunmetal Triangle Necklace

Tyler: Honestly, just because Valentine’s Day is pretty much all about women’s jewelry, men deserve some bling, too!

Art of Shaving Power Shave Set

Doug: Nothing is quite like a good morning shave, and what better then with a real big boy set of shaving utensils! It’s high time that men got back in to the habit of grooming themselves!  This is a nice compact set that has everything including an authentic badger hair brush for the old school cool guy inside each of us!

Supercar Driving Tour

Doug: You can register for your own private day driving five of the worlds most exotic super cars–from Ferarri to Lamborghini.  This gift is definitely for lovers-since you would have to love someone to spend this much money on them! For a mere $1,695 you get to spend 20-30 minutes behind the wheel of each car, touring a planned track where you switch cars at certain check points. You get trained in driving from world class drivers from each company. This is just seriously the most amazing thing in the world if you ask me! This would win me over in a heartbeat (paying attention suitors?!).

Doug Mayorga is a 23-year-old Bostonian currently working towards becoming the next thing in fashion. His interests include his friends, family, cars (in case you didn’t notice!), fashion and dissecting the sartorial conundrums that plague our modern society.

Apparently, there is chatter going around my office about how many pairs of shoes I own.

Personally, (and I think my buddies over at Cubicle Chic Blog would agree), I don’t feel like just because I’m going to work I should look like every other sad office rat in the world. There’s even a feature in the September issue of GQ in which before and after pictures of a model wearing an ill-fitting potato sack are juxtaposed with him wearing stylish business casual outfits.

So you see, it’s actually a good thing that I have lots of shoes! (For the record, I don’t think I have that many, I just rotate them very frequently.)

One of my favorite places to add to my alleged abundance of shoes is Aldo Shoes. I nearly always find a good quality, stylish pair of shoes for a price that’s a bit more reasonable than some other brands of which I’m fond (cough, cough).

Because of my affection for Aldo, I was excited to hear of the opening of their sister company, Spring Shoes. From what I can tell, Spring Shoes is to Aldo what Gap is to Banana Republic. A bit more casual and a bit more affordable.

I attended the store’s opening event last evening, which was particularly hot, as far as New York evenings go.

To be honest, the event was so packed I didn’t have much time to check out the shoes! Before the pomegranate margarita-sipping crowd got too thick, I managed to nab a pair of black MIKUS jodhpur boots (pictured right). Although my equestrian skills leave everything to be desired, I have been looking for a pair of formal-ish jodhpur boots for some time, so I was glad to find these! The tips of the boots come to a more extreme point than I’m used to, so I have to get used to walking in them.

(With any luck, I won’t be blogging from a hospital bed anytime soon after tripping on stairs.)

I was excited to run into my new blogger buddies Anna from Shoe Smitten and John from Orange Juice and Biscuits, who were also at the recent Fashion Fights Cancer event. I think we all enjoyed the shopping, music by DJ Reach and, of course, the delicious tiny food served by Indiana Catering.

I was also happy to run into the unfairly beautiful Amanda Setton (who plays my favorite minion, Penelope, on Gossip Girl), who you might recall was in those killer yellow Vivienne Westwood shoes at Follow the Sun. Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture, I was a fool and forgot my camera for the event. Hopefully it’s grainy enough that you can’t tell how incredible hot it was!

For those who are interested: Shirt – Topman | Vest – Urban Outfitters | Necklace – CHRISHABANA | Jeans – Uniqlo | Boots – Topman (not pictured)

Anyway, the event was definitely a good one and I think Spring Shoes is worth checking out. I’m looking forward to returning soon, without the crowd, to see what else they offer!

Manhattan Mall
100 W. 33rd Street NYC, NY 10001

So, one of the perks of being a fashion blogger (as opposed to a fashion journalist), I get to assault you with my opinions and any other little thought that flies through my brain.

Today, one of my completely biased opinions I will be sharing with you is about my favorite accessories designer EVER – Chris Habana.

I don’t even remember how I discovered Chris’s jewelry and accessories line, CHRISHABANA. It was certainly before I jumped on this fashion journey, probably back when I was in a work-induced coma.

I fell further in love when I attended a GenArt sample sale, during which I was broker than a joke and couldn’t buy anything (water, water everywhere…).

Because I love CHRISHABANA so much, I naturally had to write about it!

Chris graciously took some time recently to answer some interview questions so I could introduce him and his work to all of you! Be sure to check out his website.

What have you done so far today?

Woke up, showered, threw some stuff in a bag and headed out to Fire Island…I’m on the beach in Cherry Grove writing this at the moment.

How did you get started in designing accessories?

I’ve always been doing something in fashion since I could remember. When I moved to New York in 2000, I started to make recycled jewelry and fur pieces.  Seven [New York] picked up a few styles and it went from there. I was in and out of doing jewelry, also designing clothing for a bit, but it wasn’t till 2007 that I got more official and pursued CHRISHABANA as a real business.

What do you love about accessories?

I love that accessories and jewelry have a transformative effect. I’m also into the “more is more” philosophy so I feel naked when I don’t have at least 2 necklaces on and a wrist full of cuffs.

What inspires your designs?

My accessories and jewelry are heavily inspired by growing up in the late 80′s and early 90′s in San Francisco. I love the mix of POP elements from that time such as Madonna and Moschino with harder elements from underground movements such as punk, goth and house.

Do you do anything special while you work?

Nothing out of the ordinary, really. I sketch a lot, and have an inspiration board with tears that help shape my collections. When I take breaks, I walk around my neighborhood in the East Village to recharge and get re-inspired.

Do you have a favorite piece you’ve designed? If so, which?

Some of my signature pieces are actually my favorite to wear, such as the Cross Cuff and the Cage Cross Necklace, but I am also really into the Bed Of Nails Group from my FW2010.

Many pieces from your collections seem to reference a sort of gothic-glamour feel. Is this intentional?

Not really intentional to make it glamorous, but more intentional to make it POP. I want to translate goth and fetish into something that is more POP. In doing so, the results can sometimes be glamorous. That was the case when I designed the Bed of Nails group from FW2010. I created different forms and drove nails into them. When cast in my gunmetal and copper finishes, the nail heads look like organic, shimmering paillettes, till of course you get closer and realize they’re pretty bad-ass pieces.

What are your wardrobe staples right now?

I have a pair of 10-year old combat boots that I wear almost everyday, even in a heat wave. And of course, my jewelry.

What are your fashion pet peeves?

I hate when people say “dress it up, or dress it down with jeans.”

Where are you from originally?

Originally from the Philippines.

Why did you choose to live in New York?

Well, I always fantasized about New York and the art scene in the 80′s such as [Jean-Michel] Basquiat and Keith Haring. But I didn’t choose to move here. My boyfriend at the time got a transfer from his job to move to New York so I moved with him. I guess in a way, New York chose me.

If you could live anywhere but New York, where would it be and why?

Don’t make me a traitor to my home.

What’s your favorite thing about New York fashion?

That it’s always changing.

Where are your favorite places to shop in New York?

I wear and customize a lot of vintage, so I love going to flea markets, 10 Ft. Single and About Glamour. I’ve started to wear “newer” clothing from boutiques like Oak, so I guess I’m growing up…a little.

What’s your idea of a perfect New York night?

Having friends over to drinks and dress-up, then out to eat ramen at Rai-Rai Ken, then dancing, dancing, dancing.

You’ve had a lot of great success so far with CHRISHABANA. Where do you see yourself with your work in five years?

I try not to think about the future too much. I want to keep things as organic as possible. At this point, I’ve gotten a good amount of attention and support from press and shops and I am so thankful for that and hope it continues to grow.

Photos courtesy of MAO PR.