The sun came out (thankfully) for the 8th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party and so did everyone else! Once, one of the best hidden secrets of New York City, has now become a sold out soiree. I look forward to this event every year, it’s a combination of many things. I enjoy being dressed up on the train as I see another woman on the other end also draped in chiffon and pearls with her hair tucked in pins…we both know we’re headed to the same place. As the train continues to head downtown towards Bowling Green, the cart fills up with a few more damsels and now the rest of the everyday passengers sense that something fun is going on in NYC. Then there’s the ferry ride, looking at the open water in front of me, Lady Liberty in the distance, but close enough to see, knowing that in a few minutes I’ll be on the historical Governor’s Island, sittin’ on the lawn sippin’ St.Germain and listening to jazz music.

Every year I approach how I want to capture the moment on camera differently.  Check out my pics for 2011  & both 2012, 2012. This year I took pictures of a little of everything.

I love the turquoise blues she tied into her look.She embodied the 1920s right down to her dainty ankle socks as she sketched drawings of people on line that inspired her.
Keepin’ it Gangsta!Love the older couple’s eclectic style. Flashy, artsy, and anything but boring. I want to be them when I grow up.

Fine Dining.

This guy was quite the ladies man, but I found the white on white pieces striking.

What’s a party without all the fixin’s! The woman to the left is about a whole another fixin’.

I always love modern takes on era looks. I like how she paired darker colors like the navy and burgundy with pop colors. The green in the umbrella also made her yellow purse standout out more! Some more color added to the party. I took pictures of girls that stood out from the crowd.Paper Parasols are always in attendance.Another modern take on an old look with this summer’s trendy colors.This polished gentleman channeled The Great Gatsby’s, Tom Buchanan. His fun socks and mirrored sunglasses update his look.
I like her color combination of nudes, reds, and white umbrella. I also loved how she tied her turban.  This outfit says 1920s, yet without the umbrella she can easily wear this outfit day to day, out and about with friends, shopping, or a party.
I’m a sucker for grey toned teals as an accent color.Partners in crime.
Lets go for a spin boys… A touch of yellow.

I’m loving the bling I stacked on.  Inspired by The Great Gatsby.

Cooling off.  My look was inspired by The Great Gatsby’s, Daisy Buchanan in the scenes with the fur stole and hand jewelry. Why yes, we’d love a glass of St. Germain.

I love fun socks for men in general, and I love men who embrace them! Here, the vibrant modern colors of the socks go strikingly well with the vintage antique color of the shoes. And all that jazz…. Strike a pose.  Setting the tone.

A family affair.

Having fun with it all. A gorgeous black angel sophisticatedly pops out amongst all the light colors on the lawn.

The happy couple…The End…

Every summer my friends and I make out a list of new rooftops we’d like to experience, however this one found me.  I got an invitation from The McKittrick Hotel for a priority reservation at Gallow Green. Some time ago, I went to see the talked about Sleep No More and signed up for the mailing list.  I had such a unique and entertaining NYC experience at the interactive play that I was more than delighted to visit The McKittrick again.

I make a reservation asap and my friend and I are already envisioning our rooftop soiree.  We were so looking forward to it, we’d bring it up once a week. Then, something came up with work and I had to cancel.  Luckily, it rained on what was supposed to be our first fancy rooftop of the season. I reschedule for a few weeks later, work came up again, and so did another cancellation.  I was convinced The Ghost of Gallow Green was haunting our plans, but it turned out this ghost I made up in my head was actually trying to send us a message…“Celebrate the release of Time Out New York‘s 2013 Summer Drinking issue at the McKittrick Hotel’s Gallow Green.”

Timeout  NY had an offer to buy tickets to the event which included open bar from 6-8pm. My friend and I decided to buy them because now we’re committed.

An old news stand appears when you come out the elevator. I’m already getting in The McKittrick spirit.

GALLOW GREEN, I’m here with a smile on my face. I feel like I entered a beautiful vineyard in California and think, “It’s so nice here, this is what the city is all about..going to stuff like this.” Well, one of the many great things about it.

Open bar included red and white wine or beer and the Stella Artois cider was delicious!

With every rooftop there’s always a rooftop outfit. I wanted to wear a dress that was soft, flowy, and light. When I saw this dress I knew it was it. I decided to work the Angelina leg with a little JLO at the Grammys.

Here’s my rooftop sidekick, Kristy.

Aha! I noticed the photographer and asked if he would take a picture. He took a few. Thank you fotofilip for sharing these with me!

Filip Wolak

Filip Wolak

  Filip Wolak

See you again soon. Remember, I’ll be going to more rooftops, recommending some, and of course the rooftop outfits.

If you’re the New Yorker that wishes you had your own patio to invite friends to in the summer for cocktails then I have the perfect substitute, I’ll even throw in a rooftop for you! Night of Joy in Brooklyn, a cool spot if you’re in the mood for something laid back and chill.

The decor on the main floor feels like you walked into a Parisian 1920s bar. Over to the right is a living room area with vintage furniture and the dim amber lights on the wall make the room feel cozy and quaint.  That open door in the back leads to the rooftop patio.

The candlelit atmosphere brought the decor and comfort all together.

Handwritten on parchment, the cocktail list has a nice selection of liquors infused with florals, fruits, and herbs.

Happy Hour is from 6-8 pm so I got myself 2 drinks at once since it was almost over. I ordered The Rosemary Infused Bourbon (the ginger lured me in) and the Orange Blossom.  I could do without the crushed ice or less of it because it took away from the taste of the drinks.

A toast! “To our first rooftop of the summer!”.  I’ll be showing you a lot more!

Just as soon as we put our glasses down the sun went with it, but when the going gets dark the party keeps going! Nothing says backyard shindig like patio lights!

I don’t know where to begin with this post except to just speak from the heart.  I recently gave a preview of what I did over Memorial Day Weekend 2013.  Today, makes a week that I faced one of the biggest mental challenges of my life and although it’s been a week, I left my heart in the mountains of West Virginia. More on this in a second.

If you met me, you’d never know my fascination with nature.  I’m a city girl to the core.  I was born in Manhattan and have lived here most of my life. I’d only leave it for Europe or a quiet spot in Costa Rica. (Currently considering other locations) I dress up just to have lunch with friends at Bryant Park and plan my outfits according to venue, area of Manhattan or borough I’ll be hanging out in. I’m all about rooftops, discovering new dive bars on the Lower East Side and clicking champagne glasses at private parties or the Hamptons. Also, a life without 4″ heels just isn’t an option.

Yet, if you saw me in nature you might almost think I’m a hippie. That explains a quiet spot in Costa Rica and my thing for dive bars. I can endlessly gaze at nature. I have zen moments where I stop in the middle of a hike to hear the silence in the woods and breathe in the air. I day dream about pitching tents, waking up in front of mountains and suddenly the city is a distant memory.

This brings me to my trip to West Virginia. Almost a year ago, I joined a NYC hiking group after having an A-HA moment visiting friends in Norway. Joining this hiking group has been one of the best things that’s ever happened to me and I’ve been hiking ever since. The love at first sight moment I get whenever I see the Empire State building has shifted to nature. I get giddy just thinking about the endless mountain views I get to see.

My friend Kristy belongs to the same hiking group and she asked me last summer if I wanted to do the West Virgina Via Ferrata climb.  Since I like hiking, Kristy, and I’m a fan of West Virginia from my crazy college days, I figured sure “why not” not really knowing what I had signed up for! Long after I put a down payment, I decide to check out the details of the trip. I see pictures of rock climbing, helmets, harnesses and a wooden suspension bridge that reminds me of something that came out of an Indiana Jones flick.

This is the waiver we had to sign before the climb. I think we all read the small print! Hello reality check!

I immediately freak out and send a mass amount of madays to Kristy and our group organizer with “I don’t think I can do this trip!” texts. They’d talk me back into it and as the months went by I’d chicken out and start all over again blasting their phones like some crazy ex.

We get into the final week before the trip. I’ve had 6 months to mentally convince myself I can do this and how good it would be for me, but financially things weren’t so great, if I went on the trip I’d have no money once I got back.

A day before the trip, I was in SOHO and saw REI. This was the universe’s way of guiding me. I walked in and suddenly all my stress and worries stayed outside on the corner of Lafayette Street.  My eyes got big as I start imagining myself in the 15 person tent on display. I was having so much fun checking out the gear and watching people try stuff out for their own adventure too . With that, I made one last call to my lifelines to say “I’m going!”.  My rationalization was everything has a way of working itself out. My problems weren’t going to get any better staying in NYC so I might as well get out to nature, conquer my initial fears and have a fun Memorial Day Weekend. I did!

Below are the highlights of my trip.  A 1,085ft elevation gain, hooked on by harnesses and clips. We were responsible for our safety, but assisted by excellent guides that’ll go at your pace. I’m not going to lie, there were points I panicked and points where the guide made me aware of the “EXIT ROUTES”, but I’ve never been a quitter. I kept going over in my head what they taught us “clip one at at time and clip high and clip often”.  I didn’t come all the way to West Virginia and make it up one the first rocks to quit ? No fucking way! So I’d calm down, enjoy the view, climb so more, panic, say I’m never doing this again and then slap some sense into myself because God knows I’m soooo doing it again.

The beginning of the Via Ferrata.
The view of Nelson Rocks after the first Via and before the bridge. The weather was absolutely perfect and good thing because in NYC it was cold and rainy. The sky was so blue, so clear, and the mountains so lush green our pictures didn’t need filters.

The 200ft (Indiana Jones Bridge) Ironically, this is what I was initially afraid to do and it was actually a cool experience.

This was the end of the bridge..phewww I made it, by this point I was so proud of myself.

This picture captures how high we really were as we walk along the edge of this rock.

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, but a 1000 words couldn’t explain to you the surreal moments I had on this trip. Going from almost backing out because of fear, then not having money, to ultimately taking a risk despite my financial situation. I was rewarded with magic to say the least.  My heart starts beating fast when I continue seeing pictures from our trip uploaded onto Facebook. It beats in the same way when you see someone in a room you’ve had a crush on for the longest.

This is us on top of THE SUMMIT ROCKS. I did the Via Ferrata!

To think of the opportunities we miss out on because of some sort of fear. What’s stopping you ? Just get out and do it. Right now I’m feeling on top of the world and have a priceless experience to go with it!

Bold Non Traditional Lipstick with matching nails like the yellow tangy tone Jennifer Lopez wears in her “Live it Up” video.

You can be sure being the trendsetter she is and looking gorgeous as always that edgy girls everywhere will be doing the same.

I know I for sure will try it.

Physically back in New York City
Heart is still in the mountains
Mind, sorting it all out…looking foward to sharing my Memorial Day experience with all of you soon!

That’s me in the green tee with climbing gear! – Summit Rocks

I’m happily single!  Women find that hard to believe and men say I’m full of shit.  Lets examine the two.

Why men think I’m full shit: The responses are endless, but for this post I’ll mention three.

1. There are still men out there who think “no” means “yes”.

2. Women give themselves a bad rap. Yes, I’m saying it. Women get clingy, needy, and are anxious about changing their facebook status from single to in a relationship after 3 weeks.

3. It’s uncommon in society for a woman to be confident enough to be single by choice. It usually comes with some sort of stigma like she has issues, she can’t find a man or she must be a cat lady! Yet, men who chose to stay single are rewarded with titles such as, “Most eligible bachelor, Sexy and Single, The next George Clooney.”

Why women don’t believe me: because most are looking for love and hate being single for one reason or another.  It could be pressure from society or social circle, feeling lonely or incomplete, biological clock is doing the foot stomping thing or simply she just wants a companion and be happy.

I am me. I like going off on a whim and being attached to a plane ticket, a spontaneous night out in the city with friends, or simply my company. Of course I want that Carrie Bradshaw “I’m looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love.” feeling. I’m definitely a hopeless romantic. I long for a Johnny that won’t let Baby sit in a corner, a Noah that builds a white house with blue shutters and wrap around porch, but I  don’t need it to feel complete. I feel most complete when I do things for me.   For me it’s been traveling abroad and bunking in hostels, hiking to the top of the mountain and the reward of the view, buying a ticket to the Coldplay Jay-Z concert on New Year’s Eve even though I had no one to go with. I enjoy dating myself, I’ve had priceless experiences because of it.  I don’t want to miss out on life because I don’t have a date or because my friends don’t have the time or money to share an experience with me. The gift of being single is you’re your best company. Stop worrying about what people think if you go to the movies or happy hour alone. It shows confidence. Right now someone is cringing at the thought!

Celebrities like Zoey Deschanel, Cameron Diaz and Marissa Tomei have continually expressed their desire to be single and live in the moment. Kate Hudson has mentioned no one is meant to be with the same person forever. Yet society believes a woman that speaks which such independence cant be… that deep down inside women yearn to get married, have children. Why is it so hard to believe that some women like to be free ?

I was in a sorority and it’s just like what you see in movies. You end up dating the cool frat guy and when you start going steady  the girl “gets pinned”. When things got serious she gets “lavaliered” which pretty much means you’re getting married ..yup married at 20! I remember feeling influenced by that.  I didn’t want it, but it seemed like that’s what you’re supposed to do at that age. God I’m glad I didn’t have someone get down on one knee and put a ring on it. It’s not a bad thing to get married any age..not even for Miley.  Be a Jennifer Lopez and get married whenever you get that Top Gun loving feeling. It’s about doing what’s feels right in the moment.  I still enjoy being single me. #truestory. I wouldn’t have done my 20s differently.

I totally enjoy relationships and having a boyfriend. I’ve had great ones and some I want to forget!  I also don’t think all men are assholes.  Never have.  When I’m single it’s because I chose to be and most often stay single because I like my life like that for now.  I live in city with a lot to do and men that have a lot to offer in terms of new experiences. I would rather date in the moment and if Crazy Stupid Love finds me everything I’m saying goes out the window because that’s life..unpredictable. Until then, when I’m ready to settle down, I’m completely aware of the shitload of online dating sites and apps all awaiting for my trial membership only to ask for money if I want to read an email from some guy who’s 40, from Brooklyn and just winked at me.

Pair stripes with florals.  *STYLE NOTE: Stripes go with any print and color*  I added heels with a pop of color to take this look into an after work Happy Hour.

GET INTO THE SWING OF THINGS

I’m big on recycling to name a few. A friend said to me the other day, “One person doesn’t make a difference.” I reacted as if his words alone were polluting the air! That way of thinking certainly does. “WHAT! Wrong! All it takes is for one person to make a positive change.”, was the gist of my reply.  Think of it as a penny. Many people pass up pennies, but 100 pennies = $1! I’ve saved lots of pennies in my lifetime that have contributed to some nice trips, and I have no shame picking them up. So think if one person out of 5 makes a POSITIVE CHANGE, it adds up!
Same picture different shoes.  I  also wanted to show this look in summer flats.  In flats, you can wear this look to the office depending on the corporate culture and easily to lunch or shopping. *2nd STYLE NOTE: When wearing a blazer make sure you pull out shirt sleeves from jacket sleeves. If jacket sleeves are long, scrunch them up or roll the cuff.* A small detail that makes a big difference. So get into the SWING and SPRING of things.  You’ll feel good about who you are all around.

Entire outfit H&M

This look needs just a couple of tweeks. If I was the stylist, I would’ve taken up the hem on her flowy dress up to the knees and shortened the jacket to her waist. Kim has the proportions of the average women. She’s not tall and curvy. Long hemlines make her look shorter and all that extra layering adds to an unflattering silhouette.

Christos Garkinos, of Dukes of Melrose said it best, “The Kardashians aren’t known as trendsetters”. Although, out of the 3 of them Khloe gets fashion. Kim hasn’t figured out her style and she hasn’t been consistent with what she’s chosen, but she’s getting a lot of slack for it.

What do you think of this outfit.  Would you leave it the way it is or what would you do to improve it ?

Fashion Week 2013 was all about Valentino’s studded shoes.  So much so it set the trend for t-strap and ankle strap shoes for spring/summer 2013. Here’s my friend showing me her recent purchase.  I would love to own these.

Every fashion capital has their niche and besides Samba, Brazilians also know a few things about what makes a sandal hot! Sandals from there are always ahead of the trend and made with quality. I have yet to come across a beautifully made sandal in New York City. Trendy, yes, but they usually look cheaply made or like last season’s sandal in new colors or a few extra embellishments thrown on every year to make it more current.  I want to say Brazilian sandals don’t look as structured as American sandals. They’re stylish in a relaxed kind of way sort of like European fashion. I’m very lucky to have made a friend in Brazil, we actually met through eBay!  She recently came to visit New York and asked me what I’d like from there, without hesitation I said, “sandals”.  Second choice would’ve been jewelry. After tons of pictures later via WhatsApp, I decided on these pair below, both 100% leather (something you don’t find often in American made sandals nowadays)

 I love the attention to detail in the placement of each stud.  

Here’s my friend trying on a pair of studded round toe Mary Janes to see if I like them.  

I just purchased this fashion for less version of Valentino’s from ASOS.  Thanks elleandblair for your post.  I like them because you can dress them up or down and easily bring them into fall/winter with a pair of fun socks. 

Rihanna is one of my favorite celebrities of the moment.  There’s so much I like about her. For starters, she’s actually talented. Her voice is like a songbird. When she sings live the hair on my skin stands up and tears swell up in my eyes.  Men love her, women love her, and every time I go to a store I hear little girls singing to her songs. She’s on top of the world, yet humble about her life when she lets us in, and damn she is sexy.

I recently came across another one of Rihanna’s magazine covers for Spring 2013, while posting on my page about her Elle UK covers, which are a little more on the conservative side than the March photo spread for V Magazine.  She and another one of my all time favorites, Kate Moss, get a little kinky in photos taken by Mario Testino.

The S&M trend is here to stay.

I love the forwardness of this shoot.  Two women comfortable with their sexuality that ooze sex appeal and confidence both playing the femme dom role.

They both just rock. A much better pairing than Madonna & Britney Spears kissing at the MTV
“Want you to make me feel like I’m the only girl in the world…”, Kate stands tall, but Rihanna is really the one in control as she has her girl Kate cuffed by gold. Love the presence of masculinity in the fashion, but the femininity in each piece. “…like I’m the only one that you’ll ever love …”

“Like I’m the only one that knows your heart..”, The roles reverse as Rihanna teasingly awaits a spanking.  It’s getting very naughty in here.

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO

WOW, where was this my whole life ?  I’m a weirdo and have never liked the way lotion feels on my hands so I’d ask friends to apply for it me…seriously.  When I didn’t have an extra set of hands I’d squeeze some on to a damp washcloth and put it on that way or just avoid lotion all together.  Not much has changed since.  If I’m feeling like an over achiever, I’ll do it myself, but wash my hands of that greasy feeling right away. I know it sounds slightly OCD so when I saw this product at Target yesterday, I felt normal, relieved, and happy. What a great idea.

Moisturize in Seconds

NEW Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer is a line of quick, convenient, continuous-spray lotions. They moisturize deeply and absorb in seconds to leave skin instantly soft, not greasy or sticky. Available in 3 different varieties each infused with natural products.

TOTAL MOISTURE:

Infused with oats.  I love any product with oats. Especially for the skin.  I instantly feel like I’m doing something really good for myself.

ALOE FRESH

Aloe is the cure of all cures.  As a little girl I remember my Grandmother always cutting the tip of an aloe plant and using it on cuts and burns.  Aloe was also my savior in those Spring Break Moments when I thought burning my skin was cool.

COCOA RADIANT

Cocoa Butter, a skin’s savior.  I always want to buy all things cocoa butter. I’m attracted to the smell, the packaging, it makes me feel like if I buy anything cocoa butter my skin cells will be rejuvenated. *Note: This is usually for extremely dry skin.  Does not absorb well on normal skin and feels very heavy.

I was really inspired by New York City’s Fashion Week and all the vibrant playful color on color worn by attendees. Some people are afraid to experiment with color or don’t know how to wear it, so adding color on color probably sounds like attention you don’t want to get or just way too bright. 

Knowing I had tons of color in my closet, I instantly dug through it and put together something old, something new, something vintage, and something blue. (Black & white top is vintage & goes perfect with the striped trend for 2013, I loved the ruffle collaring)

Layering has been around for centuries, but not something that always comes naturally.  I’m still in Layering 101. It also becomes more of a challenge when you’re curvy like me. If you know what works for your body you can still make it happen.  The key is willing to try it.  Once you do that, you’ve opened Pandora’s closet. Your imagination turns into one of those paper doll books. You’re envisioning, mixing and matching, and playing dress up with your ideas.  Come to think of it, that’s how they do it on the Rachel Zoe Project.

The best part of this outfit ? Any one of these shirts could easily be worn alone with jeans for a minimal look. That reminds, next time I’ll show you.

Embellished Sweater, Mango for JCP
Striped Top: Vintage
Neon Pink Top, JCrew
Jeans, Forever 21
Cap Toe Shoes, BEBE

The famous floral pants I think every fashion blogger or editor snatched up from H&M.  I remember when I got them it was around February 2012 and freezing. I decided to take a walk to H&M on my lunch break, truth be told I was in there everyday. They were tucked away on the side racks and my fashion spy cam zoned in on the fancy pants because of all its vibrant colors. I tried them on and the floral prints instantly brightened me from within and otherwise dreary day. Something about them was nostalgic, but ’till this day I can’t put my finger on it as to why.  I want to say I had shoes with a similar pattern.

In the dressing room, I admiringly gazed at the pants in the mirror envisioning how I’d wear them in the warmer months and even planning how I’d get the most use out of them once winter came around again.  I paid $59.95 which is beyond my usual “nothing over $19.95″ motto, and decided to treat myself because I knew they had lots of potential.  A few months later H&M created a $9.95 version and they flew off the racks.  I don’t know which was more of a spoiler, paying the $59.95 or no longer feeling like I had purchased something unique.  Come on, lets be honest, when we make a purchase not only are we attracted to the item, we subconsciously want to be exclusive and think I’m going to be the only one wearing such a great piece….

But, being exclusive is putting your own twist on things. I ended up putting the pants in the closet with the thought of another great piece to add to the collection, but I how will I wear it ? I finally pulled them out towards the end of the summer & wore it with a white tee, but it was ehhn…

Fashion is always a learning curve for me. This year I’m little more intuned about mixing print on print. It’s really not about being matchy matchy, doing that gets expensive and time consuming and what you end up with is too many clothes that you’re probably not going to use as much because you brought each piece to match with something specifically.

So these might be last year’s pants, but floral prints and floral pants are still trending. I purchased all the pieces separately..some in winter the rest in late summer and now realized they all work together. The top and blazer are from Forever 21. The key to mixing print on print is same color different pattern or add complimentary colors.  I could’ve easily replaced the polka dot top with something soft gold, light blue, purple, even pink. Once you step out of your color matching zone, you’ll know the difference between something that clashes & something that just flows.

As one of many girls on a budget and a fashionista, I like to relay the importance of your purchases. I’m naturally drawn to eccentric or standout pieces like these floral pants.  With a standout piece you can always work with it so that it stays current. The polka dot shirt will one day end up being part of my pajama collection, something I clean the house in or just give away, but the military inspired blazer is another investment. Goes with anything and always on trend.  See how I used it in another pre-spring look.

This was a fun trend popping up throughout fashion week.  There was a mix of 90s grunge, tomboy, and collegiate looks. The main trend being baseball caps and skullies as the finishing accessory.

Sports Endorsements Many of the women were channeling Kurt Cobain.  I also love the girl on the top left.  Her outfit says grunge with inspiration from “Charlie” Maverick’s flight instructor on Top Gun.  On the bottom right, you see a tiger mascot on her sweater.  She mixes sporty grunge and adds heels to bring out the tiger and make her outfit chic.
Here you see some traditional collegiate looks with lettering and more tiger mascots.  Then you have the 2 men on the top right representing collegiate goth…very Rodarte Fall 2013.Here these ladies incorporate menswear into their sporty looks and the girl to the left made it fashionably ok to wear sneakers to Fashion Week.

All photos taken by and trend report done by me, Christine Vargas Fashion Trend Correspondent

I was blown away by this girl because I love how she took the initiative to go against the norm and make her own statement by wearing African garb. My favorite piece was her oversized bow in a contrasting vibrant color.  By adding the bow and rising the hemline on her dress, she made this traditional western look updated, young, and fresh.  

As the week went on, I started realizing this was a trend coming on.
This guy made it official!

Photos and trend report, by Christine Vargas, Fashion Trend Correspondent

Who knew hunting gear would have it’s fashion moment.  This was a huge street trend during NY Fashion Week.  Girls paired parka or military inspired coats with high end designer pieces and layered it over fur or leather.  Others literally looked like like they were off to the hunting lodge, and some women went for menswear inspired looks.  The rest of the ladies and gents added camouflage prints to otherwise simple looks. All in all, the real hunting season may be over, but in the fashion world it still has a few more seasons to go with designers like Christopher Kane & Michael Kors showing camo in their Fall 2013 collections.

What do you think of this trend ? Tacky or edgy chic ?

Fashionable Natasha Goldenberg All photos taken by me, Christine Vargas

Fashion Report/Trend Boards done by me, Christine Vargas

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2012 proved to be the year of color, there was color denim, neon everywhere, black was replaced by pinks, greens, & blues, and even duct tape has been having a fashionable moment. So now that it’s established that neon is no longer an 80′s comeback and a color that’s here to stay, for 2013 we are moving on to more primary colors like red, yellow, orange and blue.  Like the 1st colors in an original box of Crayola, these ladies and a gentleman channeled Sesame Street through color, fabrics, & sporty hats.

This girl was “IT”.  She wore this outfit on a snowy day and worked it from Head to Toe.  

Channeling Bert & Ernie.  Many girls were seen in sporty hats.  I like how the girl on the left added neon to an all white outfit and softened up her look with cream heels and statement necklace.  The girl on the right goes for a more tomboy/sport look.

Main picture on the left, Anna Dello Russo, editor of Vogue Japan wears a fuzz like Picasso inspired coat.

 The girl in the middle made her fuzzy shoes.

Love the main pic of the woman on the right. Preppy/French

On the left, Song of Style wears a pop of yellow and a vibrant floral suit on a snowy day, now that’s a fashion contradiction and it worked! The woman in the middle adds a cropped sweater & chunky scarf to a summery maxi skirt, and the girl on the right channels Snow White.

All photos taken by me, Christine Vargas
Trend Report/Boards by me, Christine Vargas, Fashion Trend Correspondent

Many looks at fashion week 2013 were men inspired with lodge cabin and hunting season influences.  A trend report to come!

This entire outfit(except for the bag) is about 2 years ago, but this goes to show if you just make a good purchase decision and think classic, something that’s always in or something that always comes back you can’t go wrong.

This is a men’s shirt from H&M.  Flannel patterns especially black & red are always in. When it comes to flannel shirts I think men’s styles have more character and I also prefer the looser fit.  I like being a tomboy sometimes and incorporating it with feminine pieces because it makes the look more relaxed as if you’re not trying as hard.

When wearing a man’s look, it’s important to add accessories to keep it feminine.

Statement heels are always an investment.  I got these hiking inspired prairie boots 2 years ago, but they’re still current.  By adding a new piece to an old outfit, you can make it fresh like I did with this camo bag. Remember camouflage never goes out of style, so I’ll be able to incorporate this bag with future trends.

Spring is in the air.  The days are getting longer and the sun’s rays seem brighter as they hit the top of the George Washington Bridge.  Even the birds are cheerfully chirping more than usual and the groundhog DID NOT see his shadow which means Spring is coming early!

To kick off this beautiful day after weeks of painfully cold weather and dreadful rainy days, I decided to put together an outfit from a purchase made in December, this neon dress from H&M!  I had my eye on it for a while, but I couldn’t bare to pay the $60 for it, until I got a coupon months later and ended up paying half!

I thought it was a good investment piece.  The silhouette is structured and clean and I knew I could use it in different ways throughout the seasons. 

I’ve always loved pairing a dress with jeans, it gives it an edge factor. It also allows me to use it during the winter months, yet it’s also perfect for a spring/summer get together or even at the office. I added an H&M belt that actually came with a coat and it pulled the outfit all together.

Surprising colors have replaced black in the last couple years such as hot pink, cobalt, orange, and green. It all started with Lucky Green, a vibrant pop shade that is associated with the colors of St. Patty’s. Suddenly, a burst of green was everywhere for 2011. As spring 2012 approached, the lucky lad had softened up in mint hues.  This member of pastels got rid of its reputation as a color only worn around March/April and decided to stick around for the rest of the seasons.  When the winter holidays came tones of forest green and emeralds were in the stores. Fashion Week 2013 showed that GREEN is now a color of power..staying power! It was seen on beautiful furs and leathers and now olive, not just Drew Barrymore’s baby is appearing in the mix.  I love it! It’s so out of the ordinary to use a brownish green color as an accent to an outfit, but I like it! It’s fresh, new, chic, & edgy in a subtle way…like a Martini, add olives please! What do you think of  this emerald green trend and olive as an accent color or color of the moment ?

Olive Palettes

I love the mix of browns,olives, and burgundies on the main pic. On the top right, an attendee was bold enough to wear green lipstick. When I asked what brand, she said it was actually “eyeshadow”.

All photos taken by me, Christine Vargas, Fashion Trend Correspondent
Trend Report, Christine Vargas

Fashionistas were looking through iridescent colored lens..some with contrasting frames.

Photos taken by me, Christine Vargas, Fashion Trend Correspondent at Freelance!

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw girls at fashion week wearing green and orange.  These are the last color combinations that I’d expect to look good together, but it did and it’s exactly what grabbed my attention! It instantly brought me back to Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and a fashion forward look that is a do ba dee do!

Solange Knowles was recently seen in the same colors at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

On the left, Jenna Lyons! Creative director at JCrew.
Fashion Week Street Style Photos taken by me, Christine Vargas, Fashion Trend Correspondent

These fashion mavens worked the freezing cold weather to their favor.  In fact, it’s the outerwear that made the whole outfits!

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY ME, CHRISTINE VARGAS, FASHION TREND CORRESPONDENT

My previous post showed how to wear this outfit for Fall/Winter and since Spring is around the corner, I thought I’d do a preview…

Knee-highs with ankle booties inspired by Beyonce/Destiny’s Child Superbowl outfit
Black and White Stripes
I’d wear this to go shopping, lunch with friends, dive bar, rooftop party.Jacket, Forever 21, Tee, Bravado Misfit