The Nitty Gritty on Local Fashion

When something is described as "local," what comes to mind? 

The "shop local" guilt trip? Local farmers. Local musicians. A local fashion show?

Is the "local" label something special, intimate? sub par, amateur? 

Let's talk about local, Rochester fashion. What really irks me about a lot of local fashion events is that, often times, Rochester fashion events depict what is in stores currently, rather than what is being predicted for the the future. This means we are viewing merchandise for purchase, not fresh designs. "Fashion Week of Rochester" is the prime example. I got so pumped when I heard that there was a group of people trying to bring a Fashion Week to Rochester. But...

"Fashion Week of Rochester" cracks me up! Not because I scoff at the effort to increase awareness of the industry. (No, I applaud that!). Rather, it seems unprofessional and, yes, amateur to choose a title that DIRECTLY imitates the world renowned Fashion Week(s) of NYC, London, Paris, and Milan and yet so clearly has the exact opposite mission. 

Fashion Week throughout the world is a show case of designs a year before they hit stores. During fashion week, trends are acknowledged, analyzed and assessed. Designers garner inspiration. Merchandisers plan their purchases. Celebrities make appearances and the financial elite make purchases to have their hands on trends before anyone else does. 

In contrast, Fashion Week of Rochester is a local fashion event that encourages local business by showcasing what is currently in stores and ready to buy. It is an event for advertising, publicity, and a local celebration of garment sales...direct sales to you and I, the consumer. No prediction, no trend analysis, and no Rochester designers are showcased. It's a nice enough event to show off your latest hair style and a sexy pair of heels while enjoying a fancy cocktail. 

Rochester, let's celebrate FASHION by exposing some of the unique designers that are out there making it happen in our city. Do you know that they exist? Did you even know that we have local designers? 

I would like to applaud Tanvi Asher, of Peppermint Boutique for putting together Peppermint Origins: Sewn Seeds, a local showcase of fashion DESIGNS this Saturday, April 27th. Tanvi, designer behind the Peppermint collection, will be showing her designs for this Fall 2013 in collaboration with designers Andrea Geer and Josean Vargis. This collaboration of designers is as much about the educating the consumer as it is about viewing the designs. As described on sewnseeds.com, "The Show will be more than a display of fashion. Origins will show the entire journey of the designers, documenting their processes from inspiration to finished garment."

Brava, Tanvi and the Origins Collaborators! THANK YOU for taking the time to respect the consumer. What to expect?

I expect some glitz. I expect to wear my latest hair stye, a sexy pair of heels, and have a few great cocktail, too. But, this is more than a glamorized shopping bazaar. Beyond that, I expect to be educated and invigorated to support local designers who have professional talent and a long term vision for our city's fashion culture. Let's go get some fashion cred, Rochester.

(for more info and to purchase tickets, go to sewnseeds.com)

Wardrobe Emergency: Style Coach to the Rescue

Meet, Katie. 

Katie circa 2010. Katie, pregnant. Katie, happy new mommy. 

Katie is a successful Physician's Assistant with a growing career,  an all American beauty with blonde hair and playful curls.
Katie had a baby about a year ago and is getting re-aquainted with her body, her budget...and her closet.
This is the story of her wardrobe dilemma.

Like many new moms, Katie fears purchasing new clothes, as her size is still shifting and her son ruins everything. She recently took a position in a well maintained Pittsford gynecology office with a fashionable staff of many other women.

Pros and Cons 

Pros: the office culture allows her- nay, ENCOURAGES her- to dress more feminine instead of the traditional, old-fashioned, white lab coat.

Cons: Katie has to think about what she wears everyday and needs to look sharp.


Style coach to the rescue! We gave Katie a Wardrobe and Hair Assessment to help her prepare for stepping into a position with confidence and poise about her.


Step 1. Wardrobe Assessment

DeClutter. Clear your wardrobe of anything you didn't like, want, or have not worn in 3 years (ONE year if you aren't having babies or major operations). For Katie, we kept a few things that she is looking forward to wearing when her body completely returns to pre-baby shape.

Toss Repeats. Sorted through needless repeats of the same items and got rid of redundancies. If you keep buying black cardigans, it's because you don't really love the other 6 you own. OR, you need to start purchasing other colors. Katie definitely had a surplus of denim that she wasn't wearing.

Identify Wardrobe Basics. We went through Andrea's Essentials Wardrobe Basics Checklist and discovered where there were gaps. This is where professional guidance helps you sort through needs V. emotional attachments.

Set Priorities. Make a wardrobe shopping list based on top priority. For Katie, clothes that she could immediately wear to the office were more important than buying her first, perfectly fit designer denim, although both were on the wardrobe basic checklist. She decided to price hunt her denim on Amazon and Ebay until she found a deal.

Balance. A structured, yet feminine, blazer dresses up designer denim. 

Priority. Katie discovers the difference between well fitted denim and decides to search out this pair online for the best price option before purchasing, 

Step 2. Hair Revamp

Katie, Before

Katie, After

Lifestyle. Choose a cut and color that are easy to maintain for your lifestyle. Katie enhances her natural blonde and chooses to embrace her natural waves in order to keep her maintenance as mininmal as possible, while still looking youthful.

Personal Style. Identify your personal style. Do you like to turn heads when you walk into a room? Do you prefer a subtle approach. Is your hair the focal point of your outfit or is your outfit, itself, the focal point?

Time and Financial Investment. Do some research about the rates you expect to pay for cut and color services and use this to create a realistic budget for yourself. Making your maintenance a PART of her monthly or bimonthly budget, keeps Katie from appearing or feeling neglected as a busy young mom. Making time for yourself means planning ahead whether you are planning hair appointments, or exercise time. BUDGET time, budget money.


Katie...young mom, young professional with relaxed, feminine, classic style.
Katie saved herself time, money and headaches by employing a style coach to do a personal image consultation that identifies her style, a wardrobe assessment, and a mini shopping lesson.

With her targeted objectives and shopping check list, she stayed within her budget and knew EXACTLY what she needed to save and shop for in the future.

Katie, on a casual day off...she stopped by to show off her latest shopping finds and fabulous curls.

Things My Mother Never Told Me: CURLS to the Rescue

YES, it is time to have another curly hair chat! Last year, the Curly Hair post had more action than I have ever seen before- why???

Because over 90% of the poplation has curly or wavy hair ... and most of our moms dis not know how to guide us to make it look AMAZING. We were taught to brush our hair, shampoo regularly, and pull it out of the way. 

The KEYS to amazing curls

at home: 

DO NOT over cleanse (cleanse as needed!) = prevention

DO HYDRATE, hydrate, hydrate! = treatment

DO NOT touch constantly. (Decide on the style when the hair is wet, SET, & forget. 

STOP TOUCHING it when it is drying!!!) = daily maintenance

Learn more about at home maintenance with the Purchase of Curly Girl, a guide to all you need to know about hair, by Lorraine Massey (co-owner & stylist at Devachan Salons in NYC). 

This is a GIANT sized CURLY GIRL hand book...in the entrance way to Devachan Salon, Soho. 

at the salon: 

find a stylist that works with a lot of curly hair = experience

find a stylist that cuts curls DRY= knowledge

find a stylist that doesn't ASSUME you expect your curls to be blown out = can educate you 

This wavy hair looked straight and frizzy when she came in...

Camera shy, yet beautiful sleek waves...at any age! Never too late to learn!

added bonus: FIND A STYLIST that is a curl specialist. This means trained by CURL professionals like the DEVACHAN salon training in NYC. = next level excellence 
Requesting a "Curly Hair Styling Lesson" is one the best uses of your time and money...most curl specialists will include a mini lesson with your hair cut, but don't be afraid to ask (or pay for) extra time to take a lesson. This is information you will use for the rest of your life. 

Recently, I finished intense training with Devachan Master Stylist, Denis DiSalva (co-owner and inventor) and Master Colorist Shari Harbinger. As a DEVA inspired stylist, it is my goal to share with you little known truths behind beautiful natural hair care...and SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS for all those lost curly girls out there who have been going at this thing trial-and-error since childhood. 

Annalise & Denis showing off their eager pupil. 

Denis explains the dry cut, the similarities and differences to cutting straight hair. 

Hard at work practicing on freshly highlighted curls, PINTURA style. 

My beautiful cut & color model- a joy!! Her curls were completely gone on her ends (from over chemical processing) before we began her transformation.  

To learn more about my exciting trip to Devachan NYC, read my Fusion Salon blog @ fusionsalon.us !

Fall Return to Femininity: The Elegant Hippie

This Summer's quintessential hippie style has evolved into a Fall 2012 return to glamour. Curvy woman are tired of styles that look like a tent. Slender woman want to demonstrate their assets as well. Have YOU been wondering how to wear the soft, billowy trends without loosing your best attributes or drowning in fringe?

Free Form, Shapeless, Fringe-y: Summer 2012 Hippie Style

That's where the 1930s come into the picture.




The truth is that the late 60s/early 70s hippie style wasn't just urban and native American influenced. In fact, the shape of clothing was paying tribute to the beauty of 1930s starlets, from sweeping a-lines, to the sex-pot, high-waisted, man-inspired suits. The exaggeration of the hourglass shape wasn't about pushing up your curves. On the contrary, it was about creating a gorgeous silhouette, starting with the defined shoulder. The 1930s was the birthplace of the hippie, the elegant hippie.  


Dress the Elegant Hippie, based on body type:

For Pear Shaped women: balance your curves by exaggerating the width of your shoulders. Well-constructed pants favor your hips, rather than hide them.

Shoulder Emphasis

Tilda Swinton

Antropologie, Cacoon shape creates width above waist. SHOP IT

Hourglass and Voluptuous Women: emphasize your beautiful sternum and bust-line with fabulous necklines and feminine construction. The boat-neck is a classic. Sexy is the suggestive silouhette of the shape rather than the revealing of it.

Jean Harlow

Subtle, Sexy Modern Boatneck SHOP IT

Figure Phenomenal Boat-neck Sheath Dress SHOP IT

For the tall or long ruler, "boy-shaped woman": bring attention to your waistline. Create a waistline. Also, utilize multi-layered, multi-textured outfits, like no one else can.

1930s Pants

High Waist and Good construction echo 1930s and 1970s. SHOP SIMILATR

For Petite and Short Women: add length to your legs with platform heels and stick to flowing, lengthening shapes that elongate the torso without creating definite lines.

Add caption1930s early platform shoe

The Platform gained more popularity worn on Starlets such as Carmen Miranda in the 1940s.

Style.com Fall 2012 Shopping Guide READ IT

Wearing Your Tagline

One of the most challenging aspects of getting dressed everyday is deciding WHO you want to be. Who you are is already unique. You have a set of skills, a sense of humor, and a history all your own. Not to mention your personal goals and fears.

How do you convey who you are in that simple "first impression"?

A quick 17 seconds is about all the time you get when someone creates a first impression. The fact is, YOU CAN'T SAY it all. In a time of snapshots, soundbites and taglines, you must edit. 

1. Decide: who you want to be. 
(Something so psychological really is at the core of getting dressed each day.)

2. Be honest: people read through bull.
(Present yourself in a genuine way. This means your facial expressions that match your outfit and clothes that match your lifestyle.)

3. Brand yourself: if your outfit was a tagline, what would it say? 
(Let this guide your shopping habits.)

Whether interviewing, on a first date, or just making an acquaintance, stepping out the door with an appearance and a smile that is honest and highlights the best in you allows the opportunity to take the next step. 

Remember,

If you don't know what people see when they see you, NEITHER DO THEY. 

Only YOU can define yourself honestly and successfully.

_________

First impression research:

First impressions are formed within 7 to 17 seconds of meeting someone;  55% of a person's opinion is determined by physical appearance (read more).

Visual first impressions count when making personality judgements (read more)

 Top photo by  Kate L Photography. 

Model, Leah Kane.

Get Out of Your [Makeup] Box

Fall 2012: What to Wear as You Pale-Out
from Andrea's Makeup Box


Want BOLD lips and afraid of committing to BRIGHT RED? Want sun-kissed cheeks without a fake-baked attention?

The Perfect Coral is the anytime answer to bold lipstick lovers and sun worshipers everywhere.

Classic Vintage Red. Can pale-out lighter skin tone.

Bold Coral Lips. Soft Coral Blush. Also sets vintage tone WHILE bringing out the color in fair skin.

 
Lip Stick- Coral Reef Discovered    

Fresh, pungent pigmented color! Arbonne "Coral Reef" is beautiful, botanical, and Eco-conscious. Go against the flow and throw a bright coral into your neutral fall palette. You will stand out WHILE wearing the perfect feminine pout.





Blush- An Orgasmic Flush

Nar's "Orgasm" Blush is an international best seller for two years and running (Beauty Inc by WWDaily).Beautiful on any skin tone, it's the perfect mash up of peachy, pinky sun-kissed tones with a hint of sheen. As your skin pales out, bronzers tends to look streaky or artificial. Orgasm is the perfect replacement for a sun-kissed flush.