My Life In Photos

Katherine Kwei — Spring 2011 Preview

As written for iheartheels.com
Though Katherine Kwei merely debuted her unique line of luxury handbags little over four years ago, her Spring/Summer 2011 Collection lends itself to years of quality and impeccable design. During the press preview earlier this month, the designer hosted event attendees at her spacious Soho apartment and office, where she walked us through each intricate piece in the line.

In typical Katherine Kwei form (and much to my delight), her signature "Eternity" knot, a traditional Chinese weave, rings true throughout the new collection, appearing on wallets, totes, satchels and hobo bags. Yet the line remains perfectly on trend with vibrant psychedelic-inspired colors (think teal, burnt orange and sunflower), animal prints and unexpected metallic accents, a detail which was beautifully woven into the body of the sling bag. The sling bag — which was gifted to editors and event attendees — is most certainly an item that I will be sure to incorporate regularly into my Spring 2011 wardrobe, especially seeing as A-list fans of the line include the ever-fashionable Sienna Miller and Gossip Girl star Blake Lively. With most made of the softest lambskin and/or calfskin, the supple pieces are a worthy splurge, with the smaller bags retailing for an average of $500.

The Paranormal In Gettysburg, PA

At the risk of sounding batsh*t crazy, I experienced definite, without a doubt, paranormal activity last night. If we’ve met, you know that I doubt anything, everything and its mother. I also cannot tell a lie. To save my life.

Backstory: I have a friend, Phil, who likes ghosts. A lot. Ghosts, ghost hunts, ghost stories, Ghost Adventures… probably even people in sheets screaming, “BOO!” He also has his own EMF detector. I’m not judging; I love the guy. And I love adventures and scary stuff. I never really took it seriously, though I always secretly wanted to. I wanted to believe. Phil has dragged us all over the Northeast on various paranormal excursions. The accomplices often vary — though usually it’s me, his wife Lindsey and our friend Andy, give or take a few others. There was the time when we traipsed through the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, on a hunt for the Jersey Devil, where our tour guide taunted the mythical demon with phrases like, “YO MOMMA WEARS COMBAT BOOTS!” Another time, we went to Gettysburg where we spent four hours in a field, in the middle of the night, with a psychic medium named Miss Emily (photo), where we asked the spirits questions such as, “Do you like macaroni & cheese?”

This has all been fun. No more, no less. No real evidence; just a bunch of maybes followed by a few what ifs. Not to sound like an over-dramatic ghost nerd, but that was until last night. What follows after the jump is a true, non-exaggerated account of what happened.

Ann Taylor — Spring 2011 Preview

As written for iheartheels.com
"Pleasantly surprised" describes how I felt when I popped into the Gramercy Park Hotel to preview Ann Taylor's Spring 2011 collection earlier this month. I envisioned simple shift dresses, solid blocks of color and career separates, well suited for the hopeful Park Avenue fashionista. But what I got was a slew of classic pieces, each with a unique, eye-catching update. Bold prints on classic-cut shirts and dresses — think floral and leopard — along with rich textures like lace, metallic and fringe, prevail for spring. Styles like a polished seersucker blazer paired with dark denim shorts and a nautical-inspired sweater/shorts combo accessorized with boxy bracelets and a jeweled belt both caught my eye, and they perfectly defined Ann's motto for spring, "...the new casual as a polished way of dressing down." A beautiful burnished medallion necklace gifted to preview attendees was honestly the icing on the Spring 2011 cake. Well done, Ann!

Photos courtesy of nitrolicious.com

NY Fashion Week 2010: L.A.M.B.

As written for iheartheels.com

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week ended on a high note with Gwen Stefani's debut of the Spring 2011 collection for L.A.M.B. As an upbeat remix of Santogold and M.I.A. began to blare through the speakers, the Theater at Lincoln Center felt more like a high-energy party than your average runway show. Gwen's lively designs merely appended the festivities, with a colorful mix of plaid, geometric and African-inspired prints. In her signature style, midriff-baring tops were abundant, along with baggy pants, tailored jackets, draping and cinched waists. Like her ready-to-wear, her accessories were delightfully over the top, with layers of bangles, cross-body bags, platform wedges and the occasional fedora.

Gwen's husband, Gavin Rossdale, bobbed his head from the front row, often taking iPhone photos, with a giddy Kingston on his lap. Other front-row attendees included Mel B., Omarion, Russell Simmons, Debbie Harry and Christian Siriano. The show concluded on a sweet note when Gwen appeared during the finale and none other than little Kingston, blond curls bouncing, rushed to join her down the runway, leaving the rest of us smiling, no doubt.

 Photos courtesy of nymag.com and Getty Images