NY Fashion Week 2010: Lia Sophia

As written for fashion blog iheartheels.com

The latest installment of Lia Sophia’s Red Carpet Collection launched late last month, and I’ve been dying to check it out. Luckily, I had an hour to kill in between shows, so I stopped into the nearby Alice + Olivia boutique where the Lia Sophia gifting suite was set up. Aptly called the Lanaya Collection, their newest line of luxe, high-end jewelry is inspired by the natural beauty and exotic elements of Thailand. Celebrity followers of the collection include Paris Hilton, Stephanie Pratt and Tinsley Mortimer. Comprised of matte metals and multitudes of chains, unconventionally paired with geometric jewels and colored pearls, these chunky pieces are major standouts. I couldn’t resist picking up this ultra-long Fringe Chain Necklace ($700, liasophia.com), complete with violet pearls! It was love at first sight.

I also picked up this stunning Studded Pyramid Stretch Bracelet ($400, liasophia.com) for J. The coolest thing about these cuff bracelets? The edges have ridges, so you can stack a couple of them for the ultimate statement accessory.

Hope you love it, Jules! The bottom line? This collection commands attention, so it is advisable to keep the rest of your look fairly simple. I can definitely see rocking these bold baubles with a deep-v tee and destroyed jeans for a chic, casual look. Or for something a little dressier, pair a piece or two with a sleek, monochromatic dress.

Photos courtesy of liasophia.com/Tina Smithers

NY Fashion Week 2010: Ecco Domani

As written for fashion blog iheartheels.com
The Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation is known for bringing emerging fashion designers to the forefront, having helped launch the careers of wildly successful designers Zac Posen and Alexander Wang. This year, the EDFF donated monetary grants to seven up-and-coming driving forces in fashion: The Blonds, Prova, Prabal Gurung, Siki Im, Altuzarra, Salvor and Organic. Specializing in everything from women’s ready-to-wear to accessories to menswear, Monday night’s show was hosted by fashion guru Robert Verdi, who gave us a first look at the next big names in the industry. Major style standouts included eco-friendly tweed jackets by Organic, printed silk scarves by Prova (Michelle Obama is a fan!) and a python corset by The Blonds, reminiscent of something one might find in Lady Gaga’s closet. Front row attendees included actresses AnnaLynne McCord, Kelly Rutherford, Molly Sims, Kate Walsh, Adrienne Bailon and socialite Tinsley Mortimer.

 Photos courtesy of coutorture.com/Tina Smithers

My First Time Skiing

Last weekend, I braved the 3,600-foot mountain that is Mt. Snow, VT, and went skiing for the first time in my life. For starters, I had a helluva time deciding whether to board or ski. The majority of my friends board. And my snowboarding ex spent a good year ramming into my brain the fact that a skier is nothing more than a "two-plank fruit-booter." I did not know what that meant, but he said it with such disdain that I resolved never to boot fruit. Ever. But when J recently invited me on a winter-wonderland getaway, I was faced with two options: To ski or to ride? Skiing looked doable. Riding looked like a combination of skateboarding, surfing and breaking my neck. But it wasn't the falling that scared me. It's just that I know me, and I knew that if I tried to place both feet on one stationary board, I would get insanely frustrated with my inability to stay off my ass. And seeing that I vividly recall eating pavement in 10th grade thanks to a skateboard, along with the fact that I'm about as coordinated as Screech Powers... well, my choice was clear.

We arrive at Amazing Planet! late Friday night. Gotta love a farm that contains an exclamation point in the name. The next day, I slip into a pair of hand-me-down ski pants, a purple coat borrowed from J and a pair of too-big ski gloves courtesy of S. Mismatched gear and all, I. Look. Awesome. While my experienced boarding friends scatter, I schlep to the ski school alone, where I wait in line behind a bunch of 5-year-olds. After 10 minutes, a woman kindly points me in the direction of the "adult school." Oh. There I meet my instructor Joe, who spends the first 20 minutes instructing my group on where to place our lift tickets. Note that my group consists of five people: a guy about my age who wouldn't stop talking about how great of a skier his girlfriend is, a 13-year-old girl, an older man missing a few teeth, and an excessively made-up blonde woman straight out of the Housewives of New Jersey.

Random Texts From Meagan

My New York friend Meagan is the Queen of Random Texts. We might go a week without speaking, and I'll be watching Law & Order one night, when lo and behold, my Blackberry begins to buzz, only to reveal one of these gems.

Dec. 12, 8:23pm
How much garlic bread is too much for one person to consume? :-)

Dec. 14, 7:37pm
Why is food so good? Heehee

Dec. 30, 11:20pm
Would it be wrong if I had Stove Top for a snack?

Jan. 1, 2:57pm
OMG. Bad things happening to my stomach.

Jan. 7, 10:35pm
My computer is being a bitch.

Jan. 25, 10:15pm
Can you just be in charge of making sure I shower tomorrow? It's been two days. :-)

Jan. 26, 4:59pm
The guy in front of me at Blockbuster just called it "Blockbusters." Um, this isn't like, Ghost Busters. Then he goes, "Are you hiring? I work for a competitor — Game Stop. Is that OK?" Dude, it's not freakin' Goldman Sachs. I'm pretty sure you didn't sign a non-compete agreement.

The New York Dentist

My dentist is a condescending arse who wears way too much purple and has a peculiar fetish for mouth guards. He is convinced I need a root canal, yet the man has no proof. He refuses to set my appointments prior to 1pm because I was 10 minutes late one morning roughly four years ago. I'm always scared to go into his office. He's a one-man show with no receptionist and no assistant. This is weird. I could easily disappear into the abyss of his purple-swathed office, never to return and no one would be the wiser.

Case in point: On Saturday, I stroll in at 12:55pm for two fillings. He sharply demands that I sit down and straps a lavender slobber catchall around my neck. And so the drilling, poking, prodding (torture, essentially) ensues sandwiched between caustic commands to "Sit still," and "Don't move your head," followed by my personal favorite, "Good girl." (Oh, gee! Can I have a dog biscuit, too? No? OK, I'll settle for another wad of cotton while I choke on my saliva.) Meanwhile, I can't help but think that I'd kill for an inspirational ceiling poster or something to serve as a distraction. When it's all said and done, he hands me a travel toothpaste to add to my growing collection of tiny tubes of Colgate. Sad to say I never get a toothbrush. The dentists in the Midwest would hook me up (toothbrush, floss, the whole nine yards). But not this guy. I then bolt before he can give me his usual laundry list of reasons as to why I should spend $500 on a night guard. Thanks, but no thanks.