September 11, 2011

Fashion’s Night Out in New York

So, this past Thursday night was Fashion’s Night Out. Hip hip hooray! Last year, I spent it in Soho and felt like I did more walking around trying to find something to do than anything. So, this year I decided I would trek through the Upper East Side for something different – and I scoped out just a few places I reallllly wanted to visit. First up, was the alice+olivia by Stacey Bendet store on Madison Avenue. The store was set up like a carnival with treats like cotton candy and popcorn to drinks like clementine-infused vodka cocktails. Balloons decorated the area and an artist was drawing caricatures of anyone who wanted. Meanwhile, tried and true a+o girls tried on clothes in the dressing room…who can pass up fun shopping like this, right?! (I especially loved the single rack in the store devoted to vintage items…so cool! Oh, and the shoe shelf left my head spinnnnning!) The best part of the night, of course, was when I was just about to leave. I opened the door only to find Ms. Stacey Bendet herself entering…so obvi I held the door open for her. Then, we took this sweet little photo together! She had on a sparkly hat and her lipstick was to-die-for-gorgeous. I’m such a fan, and she was so gracious to take her first photo at the store with me (she even told me she knew of IHH, so I was squealing inside…she did lend us a Q&A a couple of years ago)!

Next I went on to the new Tory Burch flagship store – a three-story mansion full of luxe handbags, clothing and, of course, shoes. This is a photo of the shoe parlor – on the third floor, natch. It’s the grandaddy of it all! I spent lots of time up there trying on Revas, which I’ve wanted for so long now. I’ve been waiting for the perfect pair, the perfect moment. And this was it! These are the brown ones I purchased, and with my purchase I acquired two super-chic TB tote bags. I waited for Tory to arrive (I just loooove the most fashionable Tory Burch!), but alas, she was at her other store in the Meatpacking District. So sad to have missed her, but so glad I got to sample her duds up close. What an amazing store!!!

And last, but certainly not least, I headed to Dylan’s Candy Bar, across the street from Bloomies, where celeb stylist Annabel Tollman was decorating shoe cookies (I made mine with blue and white colorblocking, sprinkled with colorful jelly beans, but guess what? I ate it!). I finnnnnnally got to meet AT, who I’ve been chatting with on Twitter for what seems like ages, and was super excited to see her purple Rockport heels. Swoon. We talked heels, obvi, but we also chatted like we were best friends from way back. Chicettes, she is so amazingly down-to-earth, and I love her for it. Derek Lam, Badgley Mischka and Prada may have been labels on her upcoming agenda, but that didn’t stop her from asking about my baby back home and recommending restaurants where I could eat for dinner. She’s truly a gem. (Follow her on Twitter here!)

P.S. Just before Fashion’s Night Out, I stopped by Ric Pipino‘s new salon on 57th and 5th Avenue where Kenneth and Janice shampooed and blow-dried me (yep, it took two people!) and made me feel like a princess. (Mr. Pipino was there working his magic as well, but I was WAY scared to introduce myself! I mean just read all of these celebrity quotes…whoa!) Kenneth informed me they were using TwinTurbo hairdryers, and that’s all he ever uses, so now I must check this out! It didn’t take very long at all (but long enough to feel pampered with my mimosa), and I was pretty pleased with how it turned out above – what do you think?