When In New York - Part II

Fantastic. Awesome. Exhausting. Those are the words I've been using to describe my adventures in the city that never sleeps. Like seriously, this was the one time that I really needed to clone myself in order to make it to all the fashion shows, presentations, and festivities. Somehow, even without a doppelganger, I was able to do it. Without further adieu...let's get this party started, right?!

The first chapter of this story begins on Monday. My crew and I had a challenge before us: one show and two presentations in just a matter of hours. And none of them were anywhere near each other. I put on a simple tank and blazer, Future Heretics snake-print skinnies, Shoe Dazzle heels, bright orange lips, and I hit the pavement running. At the Lincoln Center, I met up with my partner in crime Taye to catch the Farah Angsana show. The energy at the tents was oddly quiet and a little tense, but all that died down when the first model hit the runway. Farah Angsana's collection featured jeweled collars, sequins, lace, and paisley in a vibrant take on evening wear. The finale dress with its jewels and brightly-colored feathers looked like something you'd wear at Carnival, but it worked.

Next up was the Lublu Spring/Summer '13 collection by Kira Plastinina. We walked into this posh suite at the Four Seasons full of champagne, great music, beautiful people and gorgeous clothes. The room was buzzing as we all gushed over Kira's new stuff. There were lots of geometric-almost-tribal prints, flirty silhouettes, and fun accessories. She's continued her use of blues and orange in the Fall/Winter '12 collection into Spring as well. The party reunited me with my favorite Russian Vogue social butterfly Laura Djaga. So many adorable ladies and gents and such a wonderful atmosphere... loved it!

Without a moment to spare, Taye and I high-tailed it over to the Alice + Olivia presentation. With gift bags in hand and our foreheads glistening with perspiration, I'm sure we looked a little crazy amongst the crowd of fashionables. This didn't seem to matter to us as we consumed cocktails and over-indulged in cake pops and the Alice + Olivia Magnum Ice Cream Bars. I ate like two of them. Such a glutton. Oh, I can't forget the clothes! The collection was like a retro ball of sunshine with clouds and disco balls. Groovy!

After that one day, everything else was a blur. We ate like kings, and partied like queens at super trendy spots like Beauty & Essex, Ward III, and a cute bar named Isola with an even cuter bartender named Bobby. We also had the priviledge of popping bottles with Claire of The Fashion Bomb. On a non-fashion related note, we went to a taping of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and Issa Rae of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl as the special guest.

Whew. Can't believe I packed all that cool stuff into a week. Even though you sucked every drop of energy out of me, you were well worth it New York. Until next time.

xoxo

My Style: Urban Layers

When in New York, dress like a New Yorker... A shirt. A skirt. A button-up. A scarf. Kicks. And a big bag. All the necessary layers for an urban dweller. Gracious... do I have on enough clothes? The entire day I was wearing this, I was constantly peeling off and putting back on.

What I'm Wearing...
Tank Top: BDG from Urban Outfitters (similar)
Scarf: Cooperative from Urban Outfitters(similar)
Button-up: H&M (similar)
Skirt: H&M (similar)The Accessories...
Glasses: Forever 21
Shoes: Nike Wedge Sneakers
Bag: Zara (similar)
Bracelet: Thrifted You never know what the weather will be like until you step out the door. That's why New Yorkers come prepared with multiple layers, shoes to walk the town in, and an oversized bag to live out of. I definitely followed suit with this outfit. Funny thing is, I was trying not to dress so West Coast, but I guess I'm just an LA woman. Cue the song.

Thanks to the wonderful Taye Hansberry for snapping these pics. This street style was totally uncontrived and last minute, but it looks perfect!

Goodies Galore

Besides the runway shows and the people watching, there are tons of perks at fashion week. Free stuff! Think about it, after a long day of looking fabulous and networking you need a little pampering. This season, the Empire Hotel was the prime destination for gifting suites and beauty lounges. You know I indulged.

My very stop on my lounge tour was the BWR PR "Kick Off Your Heels and Get Glam" suite. As soon as Taye and I walked in the room the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Since we had literally just been fighting the humidity outside, we made a beeline straight over to the Bare Minerals makeup chairs to get touched up. The very sweet makeup artist used the new Bare Minerals READY SPF 20 foundation to refresh my face and the Well-Rested brightness to wake up my eyes. A little mascara, blush, and lip gloss and I was right as rain.

Now that I was feeling pretty again, I headed to Stella & Dot for cute bags, journals, and jewelry. The wonderful ladies there let me make my own charm necklace. It turned out super simple and super cute. Next we snagged some comfy flats from Footwear and a few must-haves from Foot Petals. That's just what I needed to save my footsies from the pain of heels. I also scored a a quick manicure that I desperately wanted. That suite was just what I needed to recharge and prepare again for the tents.

For the next few days, Taye and I hopped from suite to suite. We went to the Clarins lounge to check out the new Beauty Flash Blog where we scored a sample of the Beauty Flash Balm. Can't wait to try it. We were also able to sneak in a quick massage too. Then there was the Spanx suite where we got to preview the spring collection. The lovely ladies of Spanx were nice enough to give us a couple of intimates. The older I get, the more I feel like I need Spanx to lift up what gravity is trying to bring down.

So many lounges and suites that I'm probably leaving out, but they were all wonderful. Don't be surprised if you see me sporting my complimentary swag in the near future. It's all sooo cute. Thanks to all the above for your hospitality. Sharing is caring!

When In New York

If for some reason you haven't been paying attention to a word I've been blabbing the past few days, I am living it up in the Big Apple for Fashion Week. As soon as I stepped off the plane from LA, grabbed a cab to Manhattan, and got settled in I crashed hard. But there was no time for jet lag. I woke up on my first day to rain and a message from Taye that read "You want to go to Jill Stuart?"
Must you even ask...

My level of commitment to fashion was definitely tested that day. Not only was it raining, but the humidity was ridiculous. Why did I even bother to take a shower? Oh, I got splashed by a car before I could even cross the street to get to the Lincoln Center. Seriously?! And a bird crapped on me as I walked under a tree. They say it's good luck, but that string of unfortunate events almost had me frazzled.

After all that craziness, Taye and I made it to Jill Stuart. The mood was set. The music was fantastic and there was this excitement in anticipation of the show. When the lights began to dim, a hush came over the crowd and everyone prepared their cameras for the first look. The Spring/Summer collection started with a beautiful black lace dress and continued on with great textures like chiffon and brocade. There were ruffles and sequins with cream and flesh tones. The runway looked romantic.

The next show for us was Russian designer Katya Leonovich. The models had their hair pulled up in tight top knots and wore very minimal makeup, so that the focus would be on the clothes. The collection reminded me of Lord of The Rings or the Dark Crystal. Everything looked fit for an elf or a fairy, but with edge. Leonovich ended the show in a political statement: two models wearing dresses with the hand-painted faces of Obama and Romney on them. Wow! It is an election year.

So in between shows and after shows, I ran into some familiar faces and got snapped by a few cameras for street style. Right outside of the Allure Magazine Lounge at the Empire Hotel, I spotted Afrobella. This was the very first time we'd actually met, and I was so thrilled. Then inside the tents I met Claire of the Fashion Bomb, Ty of Gorgeous in Grey, and Teena of Fashion For Breakfast. Oh my goodness! All of these ladies looked impeccable. We took a few photos to have proof the encounters actually happened.

Just when I thought my day was done, the evening came. My friends and I hit the town. We ended up at this party where the super-talented creative magnet and designer Marcelo Burlon was dj-ing. He is absolutely amazing! I rarely ever get starry eyed, but this dude is so cool that I had to get a pic with him. When you're among greatness, you've got to make the moment last forever.

If this is what my first day was like, you can only imagine what would happen next. To be continued...

I Heart Russian Vogue

Who knew that going to a party would lead to this! A few weeks ago, my fashion homies Taye Hansberry, Jae Joseph, Matsen Andres and I were invited to the debut of Kira Plastinina's new collection. I had no idea what to wear, but decided on a sheer deep orange top and striped skirt. I looked like Halloween, but it was still cute. Low and behold, I meet up with my friends and Taye and I are wearing the same color. Too funny. But no time for changing clothes, we had a party to go to.

When we arrive at the Lublu store, we skip the red carpet and head straight for cocktails and cupcakes. I'm always thinking about sweets. My funkiness about looking like Taye and I had color coordinated our outfits was finally put at ease. Apparently, many people at the party had citrus on the brain. I swear, every other chick had a pop of tangerine in her outfit. Kira's new collection shares the same love for orange too. Pantone was not kidding about Tangerine Tango being the hue of the year.

Anyway, in between sips of bubbly and icing I was able to meet some great new people including Laura Djaga, social editor for Russian Vogue. She's absolutely darling! Her life seems so adveturous. She basically travels the world and covers events for Russian Vogue. And she's the perfect social butterfly for the job. It's because of her that my friends and I are on the magazine's blog today. LA meets Russia. Love it!

xoxo,
Никия Феникс
(my name in Russian)

P.S. Read more about our adventure on Taye's blog Stuff She Likes.

Fresh: Nike Sky High Dunks

I'm not a sneaker head and I don't ball, but these vicious dunks got me trippin'. If you can't already tell from my Instagram pics, I'm in love with my Nikes. As soon as I put them on, I felt fresh to def. My whole perspective went from alright to say word! Like Spike Lee said "It's gotta be the shoes!"

Wedge sneakers are all the rage this season. From Isabel Marant to another fav of mine Ash, any brand who knows what's good for it is getting in on this trend. You can opt for a chunky high top or something a bit more sleek. The good thing is that wedge sneakers give you style and height while still being super comfy.

My girl Taye and I spent a little time trying on various pairs to see which looked the hottest. After lots of hits and misses, we decided to go with the Nikes. I mean you can't go wrong with the swoosh. It reigns supreme. But finding these babies proved to be a challenge. I went from store to store. I asked a few sales dudes who had no clue what I was talking about. But finally the sales chicks said they had one pair left just waiting for me. Call it destiny.

Don't worry, you wont have to go through all that. I've done the leg work for you. At a super sweet price, you better not pass these up! You know what the deal is...

CLICK TO SHOP

Drum Roll, Please

Get excited! After just one week of competition, it's time to announce the winner of the #ImaJungleGurl bikini giveaway. Yes, summer is almost over but you can never have enough swimsuits. Am I right or am I crazy? So Without further ado...

Congratulations to Alexis also known as msfabuLEX. She represents New Orleans and rocks big, beautiful natural hair. Among other things, this renaissance woman is also a model. How perfect!

Here's why Alexis won the contest. She says:

This girl is so wild and free that it's intoxicating. I want to be like Alexis when I grow up. Congrats again, hot mama!