So Springtime has finally arrived in New York City and everyone has been waiting for a long time to break out their bright colored shoes, clothes and handbags. Here are a few favorite handbags of the moment that combine great design and functionality!
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
So, this is the first April that I really haven’t been much excited about getting a cute spring birthday outfit (I’m an income tax baby, birthday is April 15), because it’s still just about 50 degrees in New York!
This is really messing up business. According to the Labor Department, accessories and apparel stores cut 15,300 seasonally adjusted jobs last month and according to Women’s Wear Daily, retail employment fell by 24,000. This isn’t just messing up Spring/Summer Fashion 2013 business but it’s disheartening Northeast spring fashion lovers too. Yesterday, I went to a Guess event in midtown and they had some beautiful, lightweight pastel skirts, pants and jackets for Spring but with the wind blowing outside, there didn’t seem to be too much impetus to buy. I did pick up this cute neon ring and can’t wait until it gets a little warmer.
Cold Weather really is messing up things but I have some ideas to share while we wait on Spring Summer that have been keeping me feeling “winter-springy” up to this point.
Get yourself some nice leather pants and maybe some with pops of color. Yellow, magenta, and black of course will definitely be in for the Fall so not only can you wear them while we wait for warmer times, but you can wear them for Fall Winter 2013-2014 too. Check out a few below from J. Brand, Balenciaga, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Acne. For a lower price point, Nasty Gal has plenty of vegan leather leggings to choose from.
Yours,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
As a 22-year-old community college dropout, Sophia Amoruso started selling one-of-a-kind vintage pieces on eBay and, according to the New York Times, Nasty Gal sold nearly $100 million in clothing and accessories last year. The name was inspired by the “Nasty Gal” album made by 1970s acid-funk pioneer Miles Davis and his wife Betty Davis.
So, with the “Nasty Gal” edge of Betty Davis, Sophia Amoruso’s NastyGal lends itself to the perfect place for the cute and pretty look, yes, but a good bit of what I like to call funky street style. And with its highly affordable prices ($15-$60 on average per item) the online retailer does not disappoint. They’re also doing free shipping on orders over $150!
Yours Truly,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
This week I stopped by Mahnolo Blahnik’s unveiling of his exclusive Spring BB Collection at Bergdorf Goodman. Impeccably dressed and wearing some beautiful blue shoes himself, he signed autographs and shoes for customers while attendees toasted champagne and nibbled on macaroons. Especially made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker’s character on Sex and the City, Manolo Blahnik has become a household name since joining the Bergdorf family in 1987.
Manolo wanted his classic BB pump, inspired by 1950s fashion and Brigitte Bardot, to remain sleek, simple and elegant. And, it comes and it definitely does! It comes in all kinds of colors and would probably have gone great with my Alexander McQueen dragonfly leggings. Check out more of the BB Collection here.
Sincerely,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
When I was a little girl my mom and grandmother would buy some of my clothes. But they made most of my clothes, especially for special occasions. I had handmade Christmas and Easter dresses, birthday party numbers to make the other kids jealous, and let’s not even talk about high school.
As a kid I remember like my 9th birthday dress; the flashiest yellow, orange, red and black 80s dress you’ve ever seen. And I can’t forget an amazingly beautiful red pea coat I wore to Christmas Eve Church Service when I was 4 years old. I paid some attention to what I wore but I think I was more concerned with my Barbie and her accessories!
Anyway, it would’ve been great to have had a VOGUE Bambini Show/Petite Parade back then. Cute is an understatement to describe these kids on the runway. In a red peplum top and black leather pants above, Fatima Ptacek, voice of Dora the Explorer and actress from Oscar award-winning short film Curfew walks in the Bonnie Young Fall/Winter 2013 Petite Parade Fashion Show. And several other kids shine with playful poses on the runway. Check out designs from Silvia Heach, Pale Cloud, Ki6 and more. Doesn’t it just make you want to be a kid again?
Sincerely,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
Photo Credit: Richard Renda / Totally Cool ®
It’s that time of the year folks. If you haven’t done your taxes already, you better get to it, you have a bout a month.
What to do? Well you’re either getting a refund, getting nothing or paying up. So here are a few tips for whatever situation you might have.
1. Have to pay up? Now is a great to do some spring cleaning in your closet. Make some money and sell off those old handbags or clothes you haven’t worn in over a year to a consignment shop. There are plenty around and even online (i.e. I-Ella.com, or LXR & Co).
2. You can also give those old clothes and even pieces of furniture to charity for a tax deduction.
3. Getting a refund? Well you can save it in the bank if you don’t have your 3-6 months of emergency reserves. Or, you can save it in a mid to long-term vehicle like a brokerage account, cash value life insurance or an IRA.
4. Been saving all year? Pat yourself on the back and reward yourself with a gift from the new spring collections.
5. Plan a vacation. Cheap or not. It’s always great to get away. Make sure to take a new bikini and sunglasses with you.
Whether you’re paying up or getting a refund, make sure to carefully review your taxes with not just an accountant, but a financial professional to ensure that you’re not missing any opportunities to save.
So CNN recently did an article on a new budding trend- retail fashion trucks. I must say food trucks in New York City are rampant, you can’t turn a corner in Manhattan without running into one especially at lunchtime. But, retail fashion boutique trucks I have not yet seen. So far we just have street vendors and Chinatown but I have a feeling that New York might just be crawling with these soon enough.
The concept? Lower start-up prices for aspiring store and boutique owners. According to the CNN article, Abigail Franklin, owner of The Trunk, described their value in saying “we can bring our products to you instead of waiting for you to come to us.” She bought her truck on Craigslist for $25,000 and has been truckin ever since. Stacey Steffe and Jeanine Romo, founders of Le Fashion Truck in Los Angeles, pay about $1500 in monthly business expenses (before inventory) as opposed to $7000 for a LA rental retail space.
Apart from tiny fitting rooms and weather hang-ups, seems like a great idea. Now I wonder how this could translate to New York City. What do you think?
Sincerely Yours,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
So, I just love the leather leggings and chain boots at the Paris Fashion Week Chanel Fall 2013 Runway Show. Chanel’s show was about the only one I have seen full of black, white and grey that completely compelled me. I always say that I only respect a fellow designer that inspires us with ingenuity or innovation. For a 100-year-old brand, we expect the best from Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld delivered this week. Check out close up photos of the white and black leather legging and chair boot below.
Yours Truly,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
This week Japanese nail artist Miho “Mei” Kawajiri interpreted one of my paintings on my nails and I must say her work is amazing. I met her in at Su’juk, a vintage clothing store in Brooklyn where she does nails every Monday and Thursday. She took one quick look at my Lily Pond painting and got to work on my nails right away with an impressive arsenal of Japanese colored gels and brushes.
Mei and I were both in a hurry so she interpreted my Lily Pond painting on two fingers on each hand. We said that one of these days soon when we have more time, she’ll do even more detail. If she can do this in a hurry, what can she do when she is not in a hurry?
Well, check out some of her other work. On her nails, is a work that she terms “nude” and the below is Mei’s favorite, inspired by 83-year-old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known for painting polka dots on naked models.
Mei has been doing nails for twelve years and has been in the United States for five months. She said she came to New York because she wanted a “challenge” and is currently working on a nail sticker line with goscratchit.com that will be available in Fall 2013. She has worked with celebrities such as Eve and will be doing nails at Metropolitan Museum of Art, PS1 for their Vanity Project event March 9th from 12-6 PM.
Catch her also at Valley downtown or at Su’juk in Brooklyn during the week. I can’t wait to work with her again!
Yours Truly,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
Donatella Versace gave us her version of funky street style with a punk mix of leather, fur and bright yellow in Milan. I’m loving it!
Yours,
“Fashionably-Late”
Malinda Knowles
