Fall 2008 Fashion Week Slideshow

Cool Vintage Clothes For Sale!

I'm a thrift hound or thrift gangsta as a friend put it. Whether I'm in Brooklyn, Montreal or Maui, I feel compelled to check out vintage, thrift and 99 cent stores wherever I go. Now you can reap some of the benefits.

Go to Tracy's Pop & Shop Too to see the hand-picked selection of groovy vintage clothes for sale!

Santogold at Central Park Summerstage

I've been writing about pop music for a long time, and not much inspires me these days. So when an artist as hype as Santi White aka Santogold comes along, I have to give her props. In fact Santi's music reminds me so much of some of my teen new wave favorites (Missing Persons, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees), I might actually make it to a Central Park Summerstage concert.

Below read my music review for Barnes & Noble.com on White's solo debut:

As Santogold, Santi White, the scribe behind Res’ revelatory, alt-hip-hop-soul debut, How I Do, steps into the limelight -- or better yet, the streetlight, since much of her music is meant to be cranked decibels high ‘til the wee hours. This is not White’s first time rockin’ the mic -- she fronted the punk-y band Stiffed -- but as Santogold she’s, well, golden. The self-titled disc kicks off with the synthesized crescendo “L.E.S. Artistes,” on which she sounds like a ringer for Missing Persons singer Dale Bozzio. Throughout the disc, the Philly native winks at her influences without sounding derivative: Musical Youth on the rude girl, staccato protest “Unstoppable”; Siouxsie & the Banshees on the brooding “Anne”; Cocteau Twins on “I’m a Lady,” layered with bass and synths. Tellingly, the wailing, bhangra beat-laden “Creator” and a crushing, hiccupping remix of “You’ll Find a Way” will undoubtedly draw comparisons to M.I.A. White’s infectious blend of new wave sonics and contemporary beats (“Starstruck” hypnotically cross-pollinates ‘80s pop with new-millennium crunk) and witty lyrics (on “L.E.S. Artistes,” White describes herself as “an introverted excavator”), however, are worth their weight in gold. Tracy E. Hopkins, Barnes & Noble

American Idol Syesha Mercado Loves String Earrings

I read a post on the blog, You Thought We Wouldn't Notice, about Urban Outfitters copying a thread earring design from Etsy. But if you've ever read my blog, you know that I've been selling quality string or thread earrings -- which I discovered in Brazil in 2004 -- for several years at street sales in Brooklyn and via my own Etsy store. So this is definitely not a case of an Etsy designer being ripped off by Urban Outfitters. The earrings originated in South America and Central America. By the way, H&M also sells the string earrings and Old Navy sold poorly made knock-offs in spring 2007.

Above are pics of a pair of beautiful handmade string earrings I have for sale, modeled by American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado! You too can purchase this unique pair for only $25 at tracyspopandshop.etsy.com.

Spring into Vintage

Spring is almost here, so it's the perfect time to shop for a new wardrobe. Or how about a new vintage wardrobe. I love thrift shopping and even have my own vintage clothing store on Etsy.com. These flower power dresses ($18 each) and cool retro shirt ($12) are just a few of the items I have for sale.

To see these items and more, check out Tracy's Pop & Shop Too.

My friend Meghann also has her own vintage store on Ebay. Check it out at Less Than 3 Vintage.

Here Come the Brides!

I went to the Filene's "Running of the Brides" sale on Friday in Union Square primarily as a journalist who wanted to experience the chaos and secondly as a bride-to-be with slim hopes of finding the wedding dress that would inspire me to part with $300. I know that many brides are willing to spend thousands of dollars for the perfect dress, but this bargain fashionista is looking for a unique dress under $100. No billowy princess bride gown for me. I want simple, form fitting elegance. And although I didn't find a dress that suited my laid-back personality and my contemporary, slightly bohemian sense of style, plenty of women found gowns that brought them to tears of joy and inspired applause from the sisterhood of brides gathered around them.

Read my more comprehensive account of this crazy sale on Sheknows.com at Inside the running of the brides sale

Fashion Week Reality Check

Fashion Week was slightly lackluster. Granted, I saw some beautiful clothes. There was the glamour girl evening wear collection by Carmen Marc Valvo viewed by the reunited Salt and Pepa from the front row. Models sported tightly pulled hair buns and sexy secretary spectacles, ensuring that guys would make passes at these lovely ladies in glasses. And Zang Toi's show-stopping closer, featuring "America's Top Model" winner Dani, included urban ski-wear, downtown chic sportswear in a mix of stripes and patterns, a couture-esque group of evening gowns in stark red and black, and feminine satin silhouettes in black and white. Yet, the biggest celeb I saw in the audience was Rev. Run's baby girl Angela Simmons. How's that for star power?

In fact, reality stars had the run of the tents. That was a treat for a reality TV junkie like me and I got a kick out of seeing Nikki Taylor and the cast of Bravo's "Make Me a Supermodel" (Perry is so dreamy) and meeting models from "America's Next Top Model" and "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency." But what, no Sienna? Not even one Olsen?

Along with the C-list TV personalities were loony Fashion Week fixtures. That is, people too old to to try to wiggle their way to the front of the standing room line and into the tents with the seat assignment guests. It's actually a little depressing to witness such desperation at an age when you'd think women wouldn't need something as superficial as the fashion industry to make them feel special. Lighten up folks, it's just fashion.

Check out my unbiased report on the fall fashion trends for the cool women's lifestyle website, SheKnows.com: Fashion week fall trend report

Fashion Week, Making Me Weak

Fashion Week Fall 2008 got off to a rocky start. It rained. No, it poured on Friday but I was determined to get in my first show of the season. After all, this was the first time I'd officially registered. Oh yeah, I waited in line outside Bryant Park for an hour on Thursday thinking I would beat the credential pickup rush. Wrong. Anyway, back to the rain. I navigated my way through semi-flooded NYC streets to get to Yigal Azrouel's show at some out of the way location on W 21st and 10th Avenue. Bit I was excited because I actually had an invite. I soon learned, however, that an invite doesn't mean squat except that you are guaranteed standing room. Gee thanks, but I got standing room seats in the spring without paying $65 for a press credential. Excuse my crankiness, but it was cold and rainy and I was feeling over Fashion Week before it began.

Once I took my place with the rest of the standees, I had ample time to check out the industrial loft space scenery. Billy Joel's pretty and pretty young wife Katie (she was born in 1981 and the Piano Man was born in 1949, you do the math) was also amongst those without a confirmed seat, so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad. Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley came in and curiously took a seat towards the back.

After about a 25 minute wait, I got a decent seat and enjoyed the show. The clothes were extremely wearable. Layers, earth tones, pinstripes, and pleated school girl mini skirts seem to be trends for Fall. Hot colors include olive, purple, gray, chartreuse, and black.

Friday evening I went to Bryant Park and was finally able to pick up my press credential. With no invite necessary, I got standing room for the packed Nicole Miller show. The bohemian collection was inspired by "a modern day Joan of Arc" and featured a bevy of metallic dresses in gold and silver, hooded capes, and a modern take on "the little black dress."

I also popped in an exhibition at the Steinunn showroom where live models wearing creepy yet cool white face paint posed alongside and were at times indistinguishable from mannequins. Next up was "Project Runway" designer Victorya Hong's show at the Altman Building in Chelsea. Plenty of "Runway" cast members past and present were in the front row including first season winner Jay McCarroll and this season's super talented but truly annoying Christian. Hong's Nabe line looked like something you'd find at Macy's -- lots of suiting and separates in black and white -- but so far I hadn't seen anything in terms of presentation or design that really blew me away.

That all changed Saturday night with Alexandre Herchcovitch's show in "The Tent." First off, I'd never seen a show in the big tent. Fashion Week staple and "America's Next Top Model" judge/photog Nigel Barker was in the house. And photographers frantically snapped photos of some downtown "it" girl in the front row. I googled and found out it was Leigh Lezark, but I still don't know why she's famous. Miss USA Rachel Smith also sent bulbs flashing. At first I couldn't place the face, but then I remembered Rachel was on MTV's "Pageant House." No disrespect to the stunning beauty queen, but OMG you have to check out the You Tube clip of her free fall.


Back to the show, where the true stars were Herchcovitch's minimalist collection (see lead photos) and compelling production. The lights dimmed and a recorded voice echoed: "People, all different, sitting in the darkness, all wondering....what is behind that curtain?" Then the models emerged. The techno beat pulsed. Brilliant. I actually got chills. The first half of the Brazilian designer's collection was all black. Black dresses in modern, geometric shapes and a variety of lengths. The second half of the collection showcased flowing sheaths in vibrant colors and bold patterns. The last dress was bright orange, a perfect contrast to the sea of black dresses that opened the show.

My final show of the weekend was Verrier, a "From Russia With Love" meets Upper East side, ladies who lunch collection. I loved the crystal-encrusted, pretty in pink cocktail dresses, but most of the clothes were a bit old-fashioned for my taste. And why the heck did the models have on white bras showing underneath their sheer blouses?

(some photos courtesy of nymag.com)

Brooklyn Fashion Week(end) Shots: October 19-21

Friperie and Thrift Shopping in Montreal

In September I went to Montreal and to my pleasant surprise there's lots of great vintage and secondhand exploring to be done. Here are some photos of me doing what I do best -- shop. Here I am perusing secondhand boutiques called friperies and thrift stores along St. Laurent Blvd (known as the Main) and in the trendy Village-like neighborhood of Mount Royal and checking out church bazaar flea markets. Did someone say jewelry for .25? I was in retail therapy heaven!
(photos courtesy of John Carluccio)

Designer Spotlight: Seema Anand of Blue Plate Fashion

Blue Plate Fashion specializes in original cotton prints with embroidery and other East Indian flourishes done in modern silhouettes. You’ve probably purchased a Blue Plate skirt or top at your favorite department store or boutique. But the trendy fashion line is branching out with a couture line just in time for the approaching holiday season.

During New York Fashion Week Spring 2008, I spoke with Seema Anand, Blue Plate's head designer, inside the fashion house's exotic showroom. The gracious designer tells me that the showroom, which has a gorgeous antique swing from India as its centerpiece, is modeled after the colorful and vibrant city of Little Jaipur.

Here are the highlights of our chat:

Question: Tell me about your couture line and what differentiates it from the regular Blue Plate fashion line?

Seema Anand: The regular line is mainly prints and 100 percent cotton and the couture line is satin and embroidery detailed work with crystals. The silhouettes are similar and the only difference is fabric and the embroidery, which makes it more special and slightly more expensive. I don’t see a big difference though. Couture is something you wear in the evening and special occasions but the customer is the same for both lines. The couture line is priced reasonably, even though we call it couture. The line retails from $75- $300. The line is for the holidays and evenings. The contemporary bride could wear the whites and the shorter dresses instead of a traditional gown.

Q: Did you have trends for 2008 in mind?

SA: Silhouettes have to be with what’s happening in the mainstream market. There was a lot of talk about the bubble dress and dresses with an empire waist, so we incorporated that in the line. We used crystals on the chest and neck area to make it special. I remember when we used to do a lot of tulle skirts and one of the magazines used the tulle mini-dress for a prom dress. They took it to the next level because girls were so sick of wearing the basic prom dress and that’s when this trend came about. When you have modern girls who don’t want to look like everyone else, give them modern shapes. And that same thing could be used for other special occasions and weddings. The couture line is for a customer who’s looking for something different and doesn’t want to wear traditional pieces.

Q: Tell me about Blue Plate's accessories line.

SA: There’s a jewelry line and turbans and scarves. The jewelry is handcrafted as well. It’s not very pricey but it’s very special. There’s a lot of bling. It’s great for clubbing and eveningwear because it’s glitzy and has great colors made from Austrian crystals. It retails from $35 - $300. It’s quite unique for the price.

Q: What designers have you been inspired by?

SA: My biggest inspiration has been Jean Paul Gautier. I loved the collection he did with the tattooing that became popular. A lot of his inspiration comes from different cultures and he does a lot with mixed media. Christian Lacroix and Balenciaga do a beautiful job. I also love the way Diane von Furstenberg has come back – it’s fabulous.

Q: What’s next for Blue Plate?

SA: We’re hosting a white and gold party in October to launch our white line of dresses. We want to have our own Blue Plate store within department stores and we are launching a website in India. I spend half of my time in India. The young girls there are starved for fashion. It’s a great time to be there. Everything is new and business is booming. With the accessibility of computers, girls are able to see what’s happening in the fashion and celebrity world. They love American fashion.

Q: What’s your advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?

SA: [Fashion is] very glamorous on the surface, but it’s a lot of hard work. You have to bring something new every season. You can’t do a line once and disappear. Keep turning out new work and good designs. And stand behind your [fashion] line.

Like a Virgin: Notes from a Fashion Week Newbie

I got my first taste of New York Fashion Week during the Fall 2008 shows when I scored an actual invite to the Venexiana show. I can't remember much about the clothes (they were nice), but it didn't matter cause I'd made it into the tents, baby. The music was blasting and my adrenaline was pumping as I watched the "yes they really are that thin" models strut on the cat walk. This was better than a rock show. The blistering cold weather and stubborn security guards, however, deterred me from going to more shows. My gutsy fashion gal pals told me to just walk up to the Bryant Park entrance and waltz in. Without an actual invite, I didn't have the nerve.


But the recent Spring 2008 shows were a different story. I guess actually writing about fashion and shopping instead of just obssessing over clothes has given me the confidence to rage ahead into the Full Frontal Fashion frontier. The second day of Fashion Week, I sashayed up the main entrance with a fellow newbie. When asked by a burly gatekeeper if I had an invitation, I calmy replied that I was on the guest list for "fill in the blank" designer's show. Once inside, my new friend and I giggled like school girls. We were in the tents, baby. Then we did what all Fashion Week attendees without an invite to a particular show do and waited in line for standing room tickets. "I'm a freelance writer," I informed the blonde, model-y looking guy with the clipboard who at that moment stood between me and the Terexov show -- my first of the season. "You're lucky my friend is a freelance writer," the charming cad joked and scribbled "S" for standing room on two index cards. Victory was ours.

The rest of Fashion Week was eventful but exhausting. I went to Richard Chai's show and his lovely collection was ruled by shades of silver, ecru, and indigo and plenty of men's inspired cuts for women. I waited in line for more than an hour to get a free pair of Havianas flip-flops, which either makes me way cool or a big loser. On the down side, my standing room requests were rejected a few times, surprisingly for the Met Life Snoopy show and predictably for Michael Kors where I spotted Star Jones and Anna Wintour rushing in.

My most memorable moments were spent at the Style 360 shows in Chelsea's Metropolitan Pavillion. There I attended -- assigned seat and all -- the debut of Alexis Phifer's "Ghita" line. Alexis is engaged to rapper Kanye West and the hip-hop superstar (I know he would love that description considering he is, as he told hilarious shock jock Wendy Williams, "the number one human being in the world") was sitting in the front row with his Mom, proudly watching his girl's rockin' '80s inspired frocks rip the runway. Before the show, Kanye bobbed his head to the DJ spinning Prince's "She's Always in My Hair" (boy did that track take me back) and several cuts from what else but his new album "The Graduate."


Other Style 360 highlights include characters from my favorite reality TV shows: Malan Breton of "Project Runway"' showed a sophisticated collection that climaxed with a darling wedding gown and Loris Diran's ready-to-wear collection was styled by former "America's Next Top Model" judge Nole Marin. A surprisingly masculine-looking Miss Jay Alexander was front and center for that show honey! I also saw smugly handsome photog and ANTM judge Nigel Barker sitting pretty at several shows.

Another notable off-site presentation was "Project Runway"' contestant Zulema Griffin's avant Afrobeat Spring 2008 collection at Chelsea's RushArts Gallery. The collection, "Slave to the Rhythm, Fela's Wives," was inspired by late Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti who had 27 wives. Zulema's largest collection to date features a mix of bold African prints and metallic fabrics.












I can't wait until the Fall 2008 shows. I've made more contacts. Hopefully that means more invites.

Best Fashion Week Freebies:
Havianas flip-flops
Espresso gelato
Baby Phat wallet in hot pink
Henri Bendel chocolate bars
Karma Champagne- brand new single serve, sparkling wine from California