Madewell comes to Bird

According to our beloved WWD, J. Crew brainchild Madewell has joined the ranks of Alexander Wang, Acne and Proenza Schouler to extend its offerings toward the heart of hipster paradise, also known as Brooklyn's Bird, with three locations in Park Slope, Cobble Hill and most recently, Williamsburg. Being one of the first retailers in NYC to obtain a LEED certification, Bird kicks off this strategic alliance with a shopping event tomorrow night co-hosted by Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem, as WWD proclaims, "Hipsters welcome."

I want dat.

So while I may or may not be able to attend this baller opening event seeing as how Midtown will monopolize my time, a girl can still lust after the monochromatic wonders that (along with Rumi, of course) have inspired a gradual yet soon-to-be-complete shift in my design aesthetic. Let's step outside of the box now, shall we?

Cotton Asymmetrical Zip Jacket

Ligne 6 - Martin Margiela, $255

Perfect Tencel Button Shirt

Current / Elliot, $198

Dianetta Melange Cashmere & Silk Scarf

Faliero Sarti, $339

Sun Spike Necklace

Wendy Nichol, $405

Striped Silk Tennis Shorts

Rag & Bone, $255

Large Leather Zip Pouch

Comme des Garcons, $135

3 Stitch Knit Brass Cuff

Wendy Nichol, $310

Sazerac High Heel Ankle Boot

Rachel Comey, $425

On a slightly unrelated note, Bryanboy has the very best taste. How unbelievably awesome are these Mugler F/W 2011 booties? Yum.

At Kenzo. How could you possibly not love him?

Here's to you, fashion. Cheers.

WiNK (-y faces unacceptable)

As does every NYC-phile, I have lot of favorite city spots, but with locations in SoHo, Uptown and on Lex, WiNK is by far the fairest of them all (okay, three-way tie with Scoop and Olive and Bette's, one of my favorites since age ten). Now that that's out in the open, I hereby declare that I will forever associate WiNK's in-house label with flowy silk dresses and bright, punchy blouses-- and vice versa. The colors and textures are wholeheartedly representative of the brand, thus creating its own visual textbook definition among my spectrum of stylistic differentiation.

Organizing my GMail address book this morning, I got a bittersweet reminder of my summer in the city when I came across the contact information of WiNK's undeniably baller founder and manager, Ilse Werther. Talk about dream job. How awesome was it for me to browse the Columbus Ave. store (aka heaven), inquire about retail opportunities, receive the card of the company's manager, then see her in real life... on The City? OMG is right, boys and girls. (Side note: thank you to Theresa Breitton, once again, for opening my eyes to the actual relevance of MTV to my life... seen only once in a blue moon, it tends to make an appearance every once in awhile.)

This all being said, I hate missing out on the good stuff just because I don't go to school in the best city in the world. So here begins my mini-story's happy ending: words can't begin to express my sheer joy upon seeing the banner stating, "ONLINE WAREHOUSE SALE: UP TO 80% OFF". Yesssssssssssssssssssssssss.

Side Show Mesh Skirt

Free People, $39

Britney Blazer

WiNK, $66

Taryn Blouse

WiNK, $46

Brette Velvet Burnout Dress

Dolce Vita, $79

Marcel Dress

Valerie Tolosa, $88

Annie Velvet Dress

Myne, $100

Tony Romper

TT Collection, $100

Sequin Splash Shorts

LaROK, $119

Lover Short

Rich and Skinny, $56

Fringe Round Scarf

Left Coast by Dolan, $13

Here's to you, fashion. Cheers.

2 years later

What a successful week in fashion. Congrats first off to Zegna (and the entire luxury goods sector of the industry, for that matter) for the remarkable turnaround and highly-anticipated growth for the coming year, recently reported about in both Bloomberg and WWD. And the partnership with Sowind to launch a not-just-limited-edition timepiece collection? Zegna is just one of those companies that does make it look fun to be a guy sometimes. Next, Rome is another target city on the map that Tory Burch can cross off her global conquest list: the first European boutique opened on the 20th. Totally a milestone. Good for you, TB. You make the Philly suburbs proud. As does VF Corporation's CEO Eric Wiseman, a Malvern native and Wake grad whom I had the serious honor of meeting a few weeks ago at the Board of Visitors reception dinner. As if VF isn't already one of the biggest names in the multi-lifestyle-brand sector, Mr. Wiseman reported a record third-quarter EPS and raised guidance, expecting 2010 revenues to increase 5% to $7.6 billion. Right, so how about that one time, when Dean Reinemund nonchalantly asked Mr. Wiseman if HBSP had written a case study on VF's strategy yet... as I was sitting right next to them, quite appropriately feeling like the starstruck undergrad who actually does write-ups on those cases, lucky enough to have the chance to be there in the first place. Filed under: Most legit dinner table conversations ever. Business school. TFM.

So, let's go back to Spring 2009, before London, before quant... basically before I was a real person. Yes, I have pictures from back that far that I have yet to post. What is wrong with me. I've mentioned time and time again that I would at some point dedicate an entire post to one of my dearest friends, Miss Yuri Jennifer Bong. (The American middle name gets me every time.) Nestled away in the first-floor three-bedroom wonder that was 1315, Yuri's stylish creativity undeniably felt stifled by the excessive amounts of Patagonia fleeces, sorority tees and cowboy boots that dominated (and still dominate) Wake's campus. With a simple J. Crew knit v-neck sweater, her trademark American Apparel black lamé leggings, a chic watercolor-print scarf and her beat-up laceless Chuck Taylors, Yuri's outfit from this night continues to inspire me. I remember her saying, "I think I'll wear sneakers... I don't really care." After stealing Matt Waite's wayfarers for this brief photo op, she  proceeded to single-handedly beat a team of senior Pikes at Civil War. Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you one of my best friends in the entire world, in all of her stylish glory.

Here's to you, fashion. Cheers.

Singer 22 Lookbook

I'm actually kind of glad Singer22 is strictly an online boutique (in my reality anyway, seeing as how I've never been to the Long Island location), because if I browsed even for a few minutes in real life, I might just die of happiness and excitement-- really now, do you expect anything less? Always well-stocked with some of my favorite esoteric brands like LaROK, Mara Hoffman and Pencey, Singer22 is one of my favorite retail sites because they constantly exhibit fashionable celebrities in their natural, candid and in my opinion, most stylish moments. There's something about tiny celebs toting bottomless hobo bags and oversize shades paired with ripped lightwash denim, Starbucks latte in hand. Believe it or not, that's the angle of paparazzi kingdom I enjoy the most. Yes, having no privacy sucks, but if I had to scrutinize celebrities, I'd much prefer real-life shots to the intensely glitzy red carpet wonderland of hairspray-molded updos and jewel-toned satin gowns.

Below are some of the most inspirational concepts from Singer 22's current Lookbook to transition between summer and fall. I know it's October, but I can't get over the lightness of some of the fabrics, and I really just can't let go of the thought of warm weather and a legitimate amount of  free time, preferably sober... not even kidding. Some of these looks might be a bit surprising (teaser: clogs and denim-on denim), but the point I'm trying to make is that these outfits are all about the thought behind it. I can imagine the ideas that went into crafting the proportions and intensity of each garment, and this to me is how wearable art is defined. Leave it up to me to get butterflies over rainwash jeggings and anything House of Harlow 1960. I want it all.

LA Chic: These first three looks really personify for me the essence of effortless LA chic. I'm such a fan of the contrast in movement between the swingy white tunic top and the acid-wash jeggings in look 2. Also, I never thought I'd say this but I am really loving the interplay between light and dark wash denim. This look really came to life for me one of my first dramatic weekends in NYC this summer, utilized first in my experience by the ever-stylish Miss Yuri Bong.

Floral Blooms: I am obsessed with these floral prints. The discount brands may have attempted to botch the coolness of floral by stamping it on anything and everything, but these outfits prove that moderation of loud, colorful prints is key. My goal is still to find the perfect button-up jean vest and wear it with something totally unexpected like the playful skirt in the top look.

Hippie and the City: This series of outfits totally screams Austin, Texas. Now I've never been to this hipster-land, but if I'm reading personal style right, Hippie and the City is totally channeling Emily Osowski and I could not be happier. Utilizing both the jean vest and those undeniably awesome clogs, the third look is my favorite without a doubt.  Talk about versatile.

Siwy: Siwy might be one of the most under-appreciated brands ever. Seriously, how freaking cool are these cutout leggings? Obviously not a day party staple, but they have so much potential in the city context.

JET by John Eshaya: I remember receiving my first JET tank as a gift sophomore year of high school. And now John Eshaya makes really cool jeans? Going to school in the south has pushed my life back under a rock. Nevertheless, I am loving this wash and am not afraid to make it work here at school.

House of Harlow 1960: It's like everything Nicole Richie does (post-Simple Life) these days is the shit. I love her hairstyles, I love her makeup and I love her personal fashion philosophy. Representing petite girls everywhere, Richie always epitomizes what it means to be chic. Though I'm not yet a jewelry aficionada, I am a die-hard fan of House of Harlow and am waiting on the very right moment to add one of her pieces to my wardrobe.

Lindsay Lohan: I will not lie-- I am a huge fan of some of Lindsay Lohan's outfits. Whether it's candid shots at the airport or grocery, the girl always looks like she dressed with a purpose. That's perhaps the one thing that Emily and I agreed about about Wake fashion. We can see the individual pieces for where the outfit was supposed to go, then disjointly, how the outfit was ultimately executed. Where confused dressers are lacking is where celebrities reign supreme. If you're going to look homeless, at least look good-homeless. It's really not all that difficult.

Love Quotes: I've said it 900 times before, but I love fall fashion. Scarves are a fantastic staple item in cooler weather-- utilitarian in form and function. Imagine each of these outfits without the scarf and the look changes immediately. This collage is the perfect justification for investing in a key fall item. Though, if my philosophy has taught you anything at all, you know there's a 100% chance you will not see me breaking my back over a single pashmina costing upwards of $90.

Loaded post. Lucky for me, images say it all.

Here's to you, fashion. Cheers.

Reinventing the scarf

Envisioning this season's most coveted trends, it's difficult for me not to immediately list the scarf as one of my favorites. I love the effortless class that a colorful, breezy pashmina can add to layers of separates or even a simple cotton dress. In terms of baseline functions, accessories should have the ability to transform and complete an outfit. The scarf does just that.

A recent ideeli e-mail brought to my attention a scarf fulfilling all of these features and more. Friends turned business partners Gillian Leigh and Susann Luca have taken advantage of the surge in popularity of this accessory and have redefined its basic properties, resulting in the Leigh & Luca scarf that multi-tasks as a blanket, headwrap, sarong and beach mat. If versatility was a product, this would be it without a doubt.