Bryant Park bids adieu to NY fashion week

Inquiring minds are wondering how this Feb. 11-18 will be commemorated as the last season that New York’s twice-yearly fashion shows will be staged at Bryant Park. Will any designers salute the storied Midtown setting in their shows? Will event organizers memorialize it on billboards, the tent’s façade, or on the coveted registration goodie bag?

Whatever happens- or doesn’t - TheStyleArbiter.com will be there to document, describe, and deconstruct for your reading pleasure.

More than 100 fall-winter 2010 collections will be shown. As always, Bryant Park will be the hub of the action with eight days of morning-to-night shows in the white, three-venue tent beginning with Mackage at 9 a.m. Feb. 11 and ending with Tommy Hilfiger’s presentation at 8 p.m. Feb.18. Some designers and labels plan presentations at their showroom or other off-site locations, but still under the auspices of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

There are many fashion week events planned outside that purview. One of the best-organized and increasingly popular is the 6^th annual STYLE360, a fashion showcase Feb. 13-17 at Studio 37 that this year will feature designers such as Emu Australian, Claudestine Industries by Pete Wentz, bebe Kardashian hosted by Kim Kardashian, and Project Runway alum Malan Breton. The event has attracted some major sponsors, including Sephora, Tigi, TONY&GUY, and Sony.

Meanwhile, IMG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, has lined up more than a dozen major backers in addition to the title sponsor. TRESemme, Maybelline, American Express, Chambord, Rums of Puerto Rico, and AOL are among them. Tent guests who guzzled tens of thousands of free McCafe sweet coffees the last two seasons are sure to swig record amounts of similar beverages by the sponsor replacing McDonald’s with that freebie - Starbucks.

Perks aside, fashion week is foremost about what American designers will be wanting us to wear come autumn. Along with new visions are some new faces - and old faces in new places.

Coach president and creative director Reed Krakoff, who engineered the luxury brand’s international presence and stratospheric ascent, is debuting his much-anticipated accessories line, which bears his name. I still remember the launch of the first Coach fragrance at one of his private residences in Manhattan during the February 2007 fashion week. This is a man who knows something about luxury.

Generra has been around for a while, but this season will mark the debut of the first full men’s and women’s collections spearheaded by creative directors Christina and Swaim Hutson. The lifestyle brand recently brought the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund-nominated duo onboard to inject a fresh perspective.

Custo Bareclona, known for graphic color and pattern combinations in edgy sportswear for men and women, is projectiung a more energetic and contemporary vibe with a collection themed “Hairy Metal.” It fuses the coolness of metallic bronzes, golds, and steel with the warmth of fur and dusty blues and mauves in dramatically accessorized ensembles that are architectural yet still sensual.

Vivienne Tam will present her newest collection, “Chinese Zodiac,” in celebration of 2010 as the year of the tiger. Rebecca Taylor will show a women’s sportswear line inspired by an urban New York City girl with 70’s Parisian attitude and an urban New York City girl. Tracy Reese is serving up “an eclectic mix of urban and rural style,” Milly’s Michelle Smith took her cues from chic girls of Paris’ Left Bank, and Elie Tahari pays homage to “the great women who traveled the globe in style.”

As event organizers plan to move fashion week to the Lincoln Center starting in September with the spring 2011 collections, the industry’s titans will be at Bryant Park starting Thursday for the site’s last hurrah.

“Bryant Park became the beacon of what U.S. fashion stands for - fearless, tireless, and always moving forward,” said Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

TheStyleArbiter.com will keep you updated on the trends for fall-winter 2010 with daily coverage.

Rockport’s ‘Lexington’ bridges boot, sneaker

More men are discovering what some of us fellows have known for years - that a hip wardrobe is incomplete without at least one pair of boots.

We’re not talking about brogans, Timbs, Wellies, or even cowboy boots, all of which have a place in the well dressed man’s closet. We’re referring to fashion boots. The kind that can go with jeans or a suit. The kind that have you feeling and walking taller. The kind that compel people to tell me “I like your shoes,” and then smile in mild surprise as I lift a pant leg and reply, “Thanks, they’re boots.”

They’re also practical, especially in winter, when they help shield the ankles from frigid wind, snow and rain. I have several pairs by Aldo, and Kenneth Cole and Hugo Boss currently have some hot styles out. They have influenced the return of high-top sneakers, which in many cases are getting a dressier look.

I recently saw a style by Rockport that vaulted to the top of my wish list. It’s called the Lexington, and it looks like a hybrid between a boot, a high-top sneaker, and an old-fashioned boxing shoe. It comes in the obligatory black, but the version in a burgundy-maroon shade called “sumac berry” is much more interesting. You can click on the picture to see more hot footwear for men and women by Rockport.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver is passionate, refined

Last fall, when menswear designer Tom Ford turned out his third fragrance for men, it was worth the wait.

The former designer for Gucci and Yves St. Laurent introduced his first scents - the seductive Black Orchid for women and the mysterious, debonair Tom Ford for Men - in 2006. He followed in 2008 with the floral, hauntingly elegant White Patchouli for women and the amped-up Tom Ford for Men Extreme. He also cam up with a  collection of Private Blend scents for his business partner, Estee Lauder.

The first two men’s colognes were pretty good. But Grey Vetiver, launched in 2009, became his most ambitious men’s effort to date. The eau de parfum is a departure from the predictable yet not altogether unfamiliar, combining exotic woods, spices and herbs with hints of grapefruit and orange flower on a base of oakmoss and fresh vetiver. It’s passionate and provocative, charismatic and refined - sort of an olfactory version of Mikhail Baryshnikov or Laurence Fishburne or Enrique Iglesias.

If you’re a man of discriminating taste and understated elegance, this one’s for you. You can get it at higher-end retailers or at a discount at Fragrancenet.com.

10 Valentines Day gifts that show style

Valentines Day is a time to remember your sweetheart, and you don’t have to empty your bank account to give a thoughtful and memorable token of love. Gifts can range from practical to indulgent, depending upon the recipient’s likes and personality. And in this age of time crunches, high fuel prices, and unpredictable weather, there’s nothing like surfing the ‘net and sending quality, affordable gifts from the convenience and comfort of home - or anywhere else you have access to the Web.

We’ve done some looking for you and come up with 10 items for men and women that might inspire you as you mull seemingly endless options. You can click on any picture to browse and see what else the e-store has to offer. It seems that everybody has some great merchandise on sale.

For the woman who likes pampering, Fabulosity Body Souffle’ is an amber-infused delight at BabyPhat.com. With notes of plum, coconut milk, Tasmanian honey and vanilla absolute, she might be tempted to eat it.

 

 

 

 

If she has a thing for haute shoes, she might like this textured, 4-inch peep-toe pump at Dereon.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown is the new black, and messenger bags are taking a back seat to sleek leather briefcases such as this model at Wilson’s Leather.

 

 

 

 

A chic bag is always appreciated. Debbie Rott Boutique’s funky Dolly Red design with silver hardware is at eBags.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With months of cool weather still to go, he can ward off the cold in style in this silver metallic North Face jacket. It’s reversible to black.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some guys collect watches like women collect bags. MisterWatch.com has this Tommy Hilfiger beauty of stainless steel and silver enamel that conveniently self-winds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gift of diamond conveys deep love. The Past-Present-Forever necklace at Gordon’s Jewelers has an overall diamond total of 1 carat and is set in 14-karat white gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most guys appreciate a great pair of jeans. Ben Sherman’s five-pocket, button-fly Icon style can be dressed up and down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any chocoholic would appreciate this Ghirardelli gift basket at Chocolate.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For lovers of interior accessories, UncommonGoods.com has this interlocking-hearts paperweight hand-carved from lead-free pewter.

5 winter-survival grooming essentials for men

Any man of style worth his collar stays knows that he can’t follow the rest of the pack and hibernate for the winter, casting most of his grooming regimens aside until spring. Preserving the handsome is a year-around job.

To help you do that, I’m recommending a half-dozen of my favorite products that can keep any guy in shape from head to toe. Winter weather is much harsher than summer’s, so it doesn’t make sense to slack off at such a critical time.

Incorporate some of these products into your ritual, along with exercise, healthy eating, dietary supplements, and lots of good water. The economy and weather might be dismal, but your appearance doesn’t have to be.

What it is: Gillette Fusion Power Razor

Where it is: AtHisBest.com

What it costs: $9.99
Why it’s important: It’s a sad day at my crib when I’ve run out of cartridges for this, the king of disposable razors. Wet shaving is better for the skin than dry shaving, especially in the winter, because it provides the many benefits of water. Shaving helps exfoliate dry, dead skin from the face, which is more likely to occur in winter’s harsher weather. The beauty of this five-fold blade is that it ensures a clean shave through stubble with a single swipe. There’s a special blade on the reverse side made just for trimming mustaches, goatees and special-attention areas such as near the ears and just under the nose. Each blade head lasts for quite a few uses, making it perhaps the best value among disposable razors on the market. For under $10, you get the razor and two cartridges.

What it is: John Masters Organics Moroccan Clay Purifying Mask

Where it is: Beautorium.com

What it costs: $30

Why it’s important: .Everything else might look weather-beaten this time of year, but your face doesn’t have to. Like living room carpet, everybody’s face needs a good deep-cleaning on the regular. Whether once a month or every two weeks, this product does a great job cleansing pores. Formulated for oily and combination skin, it sucks out impurities and dead skin that cause blackheads, pimples, ingrown hairs and razor bumps. It purifies and balances without drying, thanks to ingredients such as sunflower, lavender, and an anti-inflammatory ingredient - oat beta glucan - that also protects against UVA damage and stimulates collagen production.

What it is: Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum

Where it is: AtHisBest.com

What it costs: $60

Why it’s important: Yep, we’re parking on the face with one more product because your face is your number-one billboard. It’s never enough to just wash your face, especially in the winter. Nourish, protect, and heal it and it will be one of your biggest assets for decades. Serums just might be the best over-the-counter products to maintain a healthy complexion, and this one is one of my favorites (along with Erno Laszlo’s and La Mer’s). It also may be the most environmentally correct. It contains ingredients such as peptides, certified organic green tea and omega-3 antioxidants, and natural sorghum stalk. It’s also free of colorants, parabens, and fragrance. The result is a vegan, high-performance potion that firms, strengthens, smoothes, moisturizes, and protects skin. And it makes aftershave and moisturizer unnecessary.

What it is: Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub

Where it is: Juaraskincare.com

What it costs: $37

Why it’s important: Beneath all those warm layers of clothing, your skin is crying for moisture. You would be wise to apply lotion or cream from neck to toes every day in winter months. But first, you’ve got to eliminate scaly, flaking skin caused by cold, dry weather and clothing that chafes. The solution? A scrub that does the job without irritating or burning. This might be the most man-friendly body scrub on the market. It’s a paraben-free, one-step shower - no need for a cleansing bar or body wash because it contains gentle, sulfate-free cleansing agents. It stimulates circulation and, when used in the morning, has the added benefit of an invigorating java aroma courtesy of fresh Indonesian coffee beans.

What it is: Bond No. 9 Riverside Drive

Where it is: Apothica.com

What it costs: $135 for 1.7 ounces

Why it’s important: There are colognes, and then there are colognes. What separates the men from the boys of men’s fragrances are the ones that are sophisticated without being stuffy, uncommon but not bizarre, and lasting yet never overpowering.  The New York-based cult brand Bond No. 9 makes such scents. And this one, in eau de parfum concentration, is one of my favorites. With notes ranging from pineapple to basil to sandalwood, it combines a diverse range of olfactory categories: earthy, woodsy, spicy, fruity . As such, it’s a liquid microcosm of The Big Apple. Riverside Drive will put you in a New York state of mind. And what could possibly be wrong with that?

Michelle Obama style book great for collectors

However you feel about Michelle Obama’s sense of style, her influence on fashion is undeniable. Along with breaking racial barriers as the first black first lady of the United States, she has broken fashion rules and protocols and is writing her own.

So after nearly a year in the White House and twice as long in the public eye during the 2008 presidential campaign, it’s not too early to document her trendsetting ways. Mary Tomer does so beautifully in her recently launched book, Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy ($25.99, Center Street).

Ms. Tomer is contributing editor for Mrs-O.org, a Web site she founded in September 2008 to chronicle and celebrate Mrs. Obama’s style. The blog gets more than 2 million page views a month from visitors in more than 220 countries, testimony to the first lady’s popularity around the world.

The 236-page hardback is destined to become part of the library of any who love Mrs. Obama, and there are many millions who do. The colorful book is breathtakingly thorough and attractive, chock full of sketches and hundreds of photos taken around the world. It also includes more than a dozen question-answer interviews with fashion designers she has worn and other fashion authorities, including Jason Wu, Isabel Toledo, Isaac Mizrahi, Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg, and Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley.

The tome’s tone is unfailingly flattering of the confident, brainy first lady. It clearly was published to praise her personal style rather than to evaluate her objectively through the lens of cultural criticism. But that won’t matter to the legions of Mrs. O fans, and perhaps it shouldn’t.

GoSmile’s easier, cheaper way to whiter teeth

It’s amazing how fast technology evolves, particularly in the booming anti-aging sector of the health and beauty industry.

Consider the profusion in recent years of over-the-counter teeth-whitening products. You no longer need a prescription or an in-office appointment with a specialist to get a brighter smile. Multiple options are a few clicks away, or as close as the nearest drug store.

I’ve tried many tooth-whitening procedures, from strips and toothpastes to trays and brush-on liquids that eat away stains and yellowing. Now there are even hi-tech electronic devices that do the trick with a special light.

But my hands-down favorites for maintaning whiter teeth are GoSmile’s handy little tubes. A clear whitening liquid is squeezed through a sponge tipped ampule and rubbed against the teeth like a small circular toothbrush. After use, just toss.

The product comes in several tasty flavors, including pear, peach, fresh mint, watermelon mint, and green apple. They’re welcome departures from the bad-tasting gels in many other tooth-whitening products.

Also, the gel in GoSmile ampules is strong, but not an irritant to sensitive gums. And it contains Smileceuticals, a trademarked proprietary blend of free radical-fighting vitamins and antioxidants. The company also makes an array of complementary whitening products, including the Greater Than Rinse mouthwash and toothpastes in flavors such as lemonade and gingerbread.

Click on the picture to check out kits, travel sets, and everything else in the GoSmile online store.

Purple is winter’s hottest pop color

It’s not always clear why a particular color emerges as a strong trend each season. Color is always in style, but it seems that each new season is defined by a pop color or two common to many designer collections and clothing lines.

Purple has emerged as the most prevalent signature color this fall and winter.

Fusing the coolness of blue and the heat of red, purple is mysterious and intriguing, often associated nobility, royalty, spirituality. It tends to be a favorite color among children and artists.

Eggplant, amethyst, and other deeper shades of purple evoke a sense of wealth. Lighter hues such as lilac and lavender conjure images of romance and cheer.

For this winter, Lela Rose and Nanette Lepore incorporated menswear-inspired purple plaids into attractive coats while Tadashi Shoji and Zac Posen were among those stitching soft, shiny purple fabrics into elegant uptown gowns and cocktail dresses.

Menswear also has taken to the color, with Victorinox using varying shades in pants and shirts and Banana Republic offering a cashmere V-neck sweater in a handsome color right up the middle of the purple spectrum.

Purple is like pink in one respect - it can be worn by anyone, it’s just a matter of finding the right shade, hue, or tint to fit your skin tone.

Check out a few of the season’s hottest purple pieces below.

Bold eyeglasses making a style spectacle

I became disinterested in my black-framed Donna Karan eyeglasses shortly after I bought them a few years ago. I got them as eyeglasses began to cycle back into favor after taking a backseat for years to contact lenses.

I’m wearing those eyeglasses more now to give my look some variety and, quite honestly, to rest my eyes from daily contact wear. And I’m surprised at how many compliments I get.

But I’m on the prowl for some new ones. I spied a pair with those stylishly cerebral half frames when I recently went to buy some new contact lenses. I tried on several pairs and decided that the style, along with rectangular lenses, would best enhance my facial features.

I’m not too daring when it comes to spectacles. I have a lot of respect for people who dare to wear a bold color or a highly unusual shape. I always thought glasses should be so subtle that others almost don’t realize you’re wearing them.

But fashion trends disagree with me. The pendulum has swung back decidedly to the side of loud and colorful conversation pieces. I think funky reading glasses and the continuing rise of dramatic accessories have fueled the trend.

Many eyeglasses now are designed to be worn by men and women, crafted in shapes and colors that might appeal to everyone. Consider the Aegean style pictured here. The red metallic frame retails for about $120 but is $39.95 now at GlassesShop.com. Like many retailers, the site has all sorts of bargain styles for men, women and children.

As for me, I saw a pair of half-frames I like that I just might buy with non-prescription lenses for a new fashion statement. The braver folk can have the colors.

Christmas stockings that sock it to you

It’s not hard to find an interesting Christmas stocking, from predictable stores such as Michael’s to off-price retail giants like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.

But it’s hard to find a stocking that makes you do a double-take and wonder where it came from. That’s what happens when you see one of Jeannette Chamberlin’s uncommon and eye-catching designs.

Interestingly, Ms. Chamberlin’s Sassy Classy Christmas Stockings look like footwear. They are as roomy as a deluxe-size Christmas stockings, but they look like something you’d want to shove your foot in and start walking.

“A few years ago I made a high-heeled Christmas stocking for a friend,” said Ms. Chamberlin. ”It was such a hit, the next year I made two.” The following year, in 2000, the Pittsburgher she made a few more and took them to Patricia Boutique — a tony women’s shop in the eastern Pittsburgh suburb of Aspinwall — where they “sold out in a few days!” (I wrote a story about them for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)

Now there are about 20 styles, including cowgirl, bride, and multiple “diva” designs. There are also cowboy and bridegroom styles for the fellows. “I have nothing against Santa and snowmen,” she says, “but why not have a Christmas stocking that reflects your personality or your alter-ego?”

Ms. Chamberlin also paints and designs jewelry. She has taught both, instructing jewelry-making classes at the Society for Contemporary Art in Pittsburgh and teaching art classes and counseling for a while at The Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The artist began making the stockings as gifts in 1998. On average, they take about three hours to complete from sewing and piecing together to embellishment and hand-painting. Sometimes the painting, particularly on the cowboy styles, can take more than two hours alone to look multi-dimensional.

She loves hearing stories from people who buy the stockings, which are hand=painted or hand-embellished and usually made of silky-soft fabrics. “People tell me how they have given them as gifts. ‘My mother used to love her high heels, but hasn’t been able to wear them for years. When I gave her the high-heeled stocking with the feather cuff, she was so excited. I laugh every time I think of it.’ Or people will say, ‘Oh, this is SO my sister!’ I think people also love having a fun choice of stockings for men.”

In the development stages now to launch for Christmas 2010 are sports-inspired stockings that resemble a golf shoe, a hockey skate and a motorcycle boot. Aside from Patricia Boutique in Aspinwall, Pa., the stockings are sold at Sweetheart Gallery in New York City, Co Co Milano’s in Mesa, Az., and at American Craft Gallery in Cleveland.

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