StyleWhipped

Event Recap: Running With Heels Celebrates It's 1st Anniversary!

Last Wednesday, I co-hosted a big, fabulous party to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of RunningWithHeels.com. I am a fashion columnist on the site, and my co-host, RWH's editor-in-chief Morgan Williams, and I were so excited to show off our new site design to the huge crowd that turned out. Held at the WALTER showroom in the Fashion District, we were joined by over 130 guests who drank cocktails, checked out our gorgeous "Spring Shoe Showcase," walked our red carpet, and had a really good time. Morgan and I wore beautiful dresses from WALTER's spring collection, and I have to thank Charles David for my amazing shoes!

Running With Heels is an online fashion magazine dedicated completely to shoes, with the exception of my column and that from our celebrity make-up artist Nathan Johnson. So when we started planning the party, we immediately knew we had to showcase some lovely shoes from brands we've worked with on the site. Therefore, we have to extend a huge thank-you to all of the designers who helped us make the showcase something so amazing that even the men at the party kept checking it out! Charles David, Matt Bernson, Delman, Nina, Farylrobin, Tibi, Something Blue, Banfi Zambrelli, Butter, Born, Sofft, daniblack, and Kork-Ease all provided styles admired by the entire party. And of course, another big shoe-industry thank-you goes to our sponsor, FFANY...we're so glad you were a part of this event!

Of the 130+ guests that joined us, we had friends from the fashion world like Joseph Ungoco and Sebastian Smith, and leading shoe designers like Faryl Robin and Matt Bernson. Members of industry press like Footwear News were alongside our Project Runway friends Kevin Christiana & Stella Zotis and the talented Serge Van Lian from TV's Top Design. Rounding out our VIP list? We're so happy that our dear friends WPLJ DJ Blake Hayes, Broadway star Colman Domingo, and one-to-watch actor Nathaniel David Becker could all be there to celebrate with us! Our entire Running With Heels crew helped us host, and I have to specially thank Robin Friebur for being the world's best production assistant during a very hectic day!

This is just the beginning of many Running With Heels parties to come...so if you made it to this one, thank you for coming, and if you didn't...we'll definitely see you next time! To check out the rest of the professional photos from the party, please visit our page on the Patrick McMullan site: http://www.patrickmcmullan.com/site/event_detail.aspx?eid=29203&home=1&page=1&pgSize=16&sortdir=DESC!

~ Alison

           

Head Case

Ok, so the truth is, I really kind of hate hair accessories. They tend to make me feel like a little kid and I always think I don't look like myself with "stuff" in my hair. However, I also have naturally curly hair that I beat into straight submission everyday. And then there's the whole "April showers" thing. So I've had to get creative every spring with how I'm going to deal with my wanting-so-badly-to-return-to-its-naturally-curly-state hair. And this year, I've actually been pleasantly surprised with a few different brands putting out fabulous headbands.

I stopped in American Apparel the other day to pick up (yet another) pair of their perfect black leggings (really, they are amazing and only cost $26!). While I was at the register I noticed a big bin of lame headbands. With the perfect amount of over-the-top shine and the exact right amount of stretch, they come in a zillion colors and look adorable. I bought one in gold and one in black, for a grand total of $13 (yes, they are only $6.50 each!). They can look beach-y or glam, and I was totally not annoyed when it rained yesterday!

The American Apparel ones are, though, a bit casual, and I wanted to show you two other options I found that are actually sophisticated, fancy, and fashion-y. Deepa Gurnani's (available on Intermixonline.com) is intricately beaded and worthy of an evening gown. It's also feminine without being girly, so you won't feel like a 6-year-old. And Tasha's double-braid (available on Nordstrom.com) would look amazing with skinny jeans & a caftan top, a flowy white dress in the summer, or even with a sleek black suit for work.

       

You may now consider yourself armed against April...

~ Alison

Daily Devotion: Sephora Makeup Brush Cleansing Wipes

I'm a busy person so I'm always on the lookout for time-savers or things that make my everyday life easier. Let's face it, with the number of things we need to constantly maintain, manage, improve, nurture, and account for in our daily lives...things fall through the cracks. For example, right now as I look around my home I'm noticing that I have a disgraceful pile of mail that I haven't had the courtesy of opening yet, a stack of Women's Wear Daily's that probably goes back about 6 months that needs to be recycled, thirsty plants that are looking sad and brown, and a bulldog giving me the stare-down because I haven't fed him yet. Oddly enough, I find it's the little things that I don't have the time for that bug me the most. Over the weekend, the thing that was seriously bugging me was how dirty my makeup brushes were.

It's a funny thing, I have friends who are total germaphobes who never clean their makeup brushes. Except for one friend who religiously cleans them once a month, they all get that sheepish look on their faces when asked about their brush maintenance. It's not like cleaning brushes is technically complicated or requires special equipment (if you don't have brush cleanser, you can always use a gentle shampoo). And cleaning an entire set of brushes maybe takes 20 minutes, not including drying time. It's just not something most people think of when they have that extra 20 minutes on hand. Luckily, I recently discovered Sephora's Make Up Brush Cleansing Wipes. They come in a package of 20 cleansing wipes for just $9! These towelettes are saturated with a quick-drying brush cleanser that will do a very decent job of cleaning your brushes. Just unfold the wipes and sweep each brush back and forth across the towelette until no more makeup is deposited. Super quick, easy, and effective. Now these are not a replacement for a more thorough cleaning of your brushes (especially your foundation and concealer brushes), but they will help stretch the time between a proper cleaning. Just make sure you re-seal the package securely as the wipes will quickly dry out otherwise. So stop feeling sheepish, release the stress of yet one more thing you should be doing but aren't, and spend that extra 10 minutes you've saved...ummm...feeding your dog?

- Cindy

Got a favorite short-cut you can't live without? Email me.         

P.S.- For any concerned readers, Brody the dog is pampered, well-fed, and at the moment napping with a full belly. No dogs were harmed during the writing of this entry.

StyleWhipped Hosts John David Robbins' Birthday Party!

Last week, Cindy and I had the pleasure of hosting a fabulous birthday party for our amazing friend and talented guest writer, John David Robbins. Held at our favorite Hell's Kitchen lounge Vlada (as always, thank you a million times to Vlada's manager Michael Osterhout...you are the best host and a valued friend to us all), we had an incredible turnout of friends, family and our favorite Project Runway alums (more on that later).

When John David and I started talking about his birthday, we thought it would be fun to give it a "style" theme...sponsors, gift bags, and all! So we had to all look fabulous, right?! Well, we now have to give a huge thank-you first to Buckler for John David's beyond-gorgeous suit (and shirt!), and then also to Single Dress for dressing Cindy and me. Buckler was also kind enough to give all of our guests discounts at their too-cool-for-school, underground store in the Meatpacking District, and we were able to play a video of their Spring '09 fashion show on the monitors at Vlada.

We also need to thank everyone else who helped us send our guests home with fun gift bags...Michael Shaw and New York Personal Training (just in time for summer, guys...!), swimwear designer Clemente Talarico, famed Cajun spice-maker Tony Chachere's, and designer sunglass mecca Solstice. Everyone also received a flyer announcing "Were the World Mine" starring actor (and friend of John David's!) Nathaniel David Becker...definitely go buy the DVD in May!

I can't begin to list the over 130 amazing friends, both old and new, that came out to support John David and wish him a happy birthday. There were NYC friends, Genre Magazine friends, LSU friends, "back home" friends from John David's native Louisiana, and Project Runway friends Jack Mackenroth, Leanne Marshall and Suede. Everyone had so much fun that an hour after the party was supposed to end, there were still tons of people there definitely not ready to call it a night! I'm a huge believer in celebrating every birthday with the enthusiasm we had when we were 7 years old, and I think the photos from this night show that we did exactly that.

One last very special thank you has to go out to our wonderful photographers Rob Berg and Dillon Couvillon...you definitely managed to capture what a special celebration this was! Now, a big "Happy Birthday" to John David...StyleWhipped wishes you all good things, lots of fun & love, and perfect hair for the next year...!

~ Alison 

                  

Daily Devotion: J Renee Sequin Clutch

I'm not someone who can plan ahead my outfits and accessories weeks in advance for a special, or really any, occasion (Alison is the master!). For me, what I end up wearing is either a reflection of my current mood or a reflection of the mood I'm trying to achieve. Sometimes I feel like wearing something a little loud, sometimes I feel like wearing something a bit edgy, and sometimes I really just feel like wearing something plain and un-fussy. Wow, I actually just felt all the fabulous people reading this gasp. Have faith and just let me finish. Aherm. HOWEVER, when I do go for plain and un-fussy I like to add a pop piece to keep things from looking boring. This can be anything from dangly earrings to a statement necklace to a hot pair of shoes. Lately, for me, I've been turning bags.

I've always loved bags, but for many years I had a very unconsciously limited view of and use for them. I bought designer bags of high quality and fantastic detail, that went with just about everything, and that I could carry from work to cocktails. That changed for me a little over a year ago. I stopped looking at bags as most people look at winter coats, and started looking at them more like jewelry. It sounds silly when I say it out loud, but it was actually something of an epiphany for me to see that bags didn't just have to "go" with an outfit, they could actually "make" an outfit. And there are oodles and oodles of terrific options for under $100. My current favorite is a little J Renee sequin clutch ($89) in a fun black and silver zebra print. I could absolutely see myself carrying this to jazz up a pair of skinny jeans and a tee or tank that I'm wearing out to drinks with friends at a neighborhood bar. Don't get me wrong, I still love my designer bags. But my bag wardrobe has become much more diversified, useful, and fun!

- Cindy     

Got a favorite statement piece? Email me.

Happy Birthday, Running With Heels!

This week, RunningWithHeels.com is celebrating its 1st Anniversary! I am so excited to celebrate this milestone...not only am I a columnist on the site, but I am also its Creative Consultant. To the mark the occasion, the site is debuting a fabulous redesign, we are hosting a big event at the WALTER showroom (because really, anyone who has ever met me knows I think every day deserves a party...) and editor-in-chief Morgan Williams and I will be on Cosmo Magazine Radio Tuesday at 3pm!

So help us celebrate our birthday by listening to "Cosmolicious" where Morgan and I will dish on shoes, fashion, and more with the show's lovely host, Diana Falzone. You can find Cosmo Magazine on Channel 111 on Sirius and Channel 162 on XM...and then be sure to check back here later in the week for party coverage!

~ Alison

Daily Devotion: on10 Lip Balms

It's not new news that people have reigned in their spending. Purely indulgent and devil-may-care purchasing is looked upon with knee-jerk censure by others and often comes with a side of guilt to the individual. I have a friend who always performs some form of ritualistic housekeeping after buying herself something as "punishment" because it makes her feel better to do something for her family after her "selfish" purchase. 

So because I love my friends and if only to put a stop to the senseless post-shopping self-flagellation, I've found myself buying a lot of gifts recently. Now, I'm not talking designer handbags or anything. I'm talking small tokens that have a big impact and come with a small price-tag. A treat that feels indulgent, but I'd gladly pay for by simply forgoing my venti latte for the day. My favorite gift of the moment? on10 Lip Balms. I found these fantastic lip balms on a trip to Sephora and could not get enough. Each flavor, from Dr. Pepper to Schweppes Dry Grape Ginger Ale, comes in a retro-style tin or compact. The lip balms are made with natural and organic ingredients and have SPF protection. The scents, while they don't exactly evoke the scent of real cherries or grapes, are pretty spot-on in mimicking the sweet treats and beverages they are named after. These are pure nostalgia.   

So times are tough and we need to be a little more selective in how we spend our money. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to treat yourself every once in a while. Just be smart about it and try something that, say, is meaningful, protects your lips, can be used over and over, and costs about the same as a fancy cup of coffee.

- Cindy

Have a favorite inexpensive indulgence? Email me.   

Grai is Great

There are two things I love about Spring outerwear. First, it's totally acceptable to wear outrageous colors (bubble gum pink! bright turquoise!). And second, it's the exact right time of year for light-weight leather. So when I saw this chartreuse, cropped, fitted leather jacket from Grai (right now available for pre-order on Intermixonline.com), I was instantly enthralled. And to top it all off, it not only has ever-so-slightly puffed sleeves, rows of pewter studs, and the perfect shrunken silhouette, it has a feminine, unexpected peplum ruffle in the back. All points...checked!

~ Alison

Prints Please!

(Get it? Instead of Issey Miyake's "Pleats Please"...?)

By this time, it not comes as no surprise to anyone that I love prints...and color...and prints with fun, bright colors. Because that's what fashion should be...fun, and bright and something that makes you feel good! So after wearing an amazingly bright, bubblegum-pink ruffled tunic from Single Dress last night to host John David Robbins birthday party (more on that soon...), I was in the mood for more. I was in the mood for more brights, fun prints, and fashion that says "I'm having a good time"! And considering it snowed this morning (seriously, what?! It was 68 degrees last weekend...), I figured you might need a really-is-winter-ever-going-end pick-me-up as well!

I very quickly found two covetable pieces that I had to share (obviously not to be worn together!). The gorgeous, watercolor-print dress from Elizabeth & James works to host a party, for dinner on vacation, and is fun and vibrantly detailed, but also subtle and timeless. The iridescent python stilettos are, in a word, decadent. They are party-in-Rio, penthouse-in-South-Beach, summer-in-Ibiza decadent, and I love them. If these don't perk you up this morning, even an IV-drip of coffee wouldn't do a thing...

~ Alison

 

Daily Devotion: Report Signature Lucia Platform Sandal

I was out with Alison last week, trying to figure out what to wear for a couple of upcoming events. Normally I love this kind of thing, but for some reason I just had a tough time focusing and staying interested. That is, until I saw a dress that was beautiful, fresh, inspired...and totally inappropriate. It was a summer-weight dress in a summer-palette print dangled in front of a summer-starved woman. I really didn't need to hear Alison say the actual words--"honey, I know, but you just can't", but I have to admit I would have been damned tempted if she wasn't there! And unfortunately this trend of only being attracted to the things of summer has spread to my beloved shoes.

Shunning all things boot, closed-toe, dark-hued, and "weather-proof" *shudder*, I fell in love with the most lovely weather-inappropriate shoe of all--  Report Signature's Lucia Platform Sandal. It's got an open-toe, has open-sides, an upper made of raffia, and is sparkling white! You just don't get more rebellious than that in March! Ok, so I'll probably behave and hold off on purchasing (I wouldn't be able to resist wearing them if I had them) for a bit. But just finding them made me happy. My self-control tends to sway to the weak when it comes to pretty shoes, so I'll have to resort to desperate measures like tell my husband how much they are (ok, they're not obscene at $194.95, but it's enough for my husband to look at me as though buying them would deny our dog his food). But just in case I can't help myself, they are at Endless.com so I could have them on my feet within 24 hours! Wish me luck!

- Cindy

Got a fabulous find that tests your willpower? Email me.