shopbop shoptalk

How I Became a Bahhston-lovin’ Bootleggin’ Buchanan Babe

News from Our NY Editor at Large

It’s not news that flapper fashion is back in a big way—fringe, sequins, drop-waist dresses, and sparkling headgear are as en vogue today as they were back in the Roaring Twenties. So when my friend Alia Ahmed-Yahia invited me to a Bootleggers and Babes party in Boston (hosted by Elle’s Alexa Brazilian) I didn’t stress about where to find my outfit—but how to stand out in a sea of flappers. (I like attention, so sue me!) Enter Daisy Buchanan. It might sound cliché, but before you say, “of course, The Great Gatsby is your favorite book,” it’s not. But the lifestyle sure is somethin’. Mansions of money separated by neighborhoods, martinis before 5 pm (take that, prohibition), men in white three-piece suits (hello, Robert Redford), pin curls, and an excuse to wear every sort of hat from cloche to cap—what’s not to love? (P.S. Did you know the term gold digger was actually coined in the ’20s? Another loss for Kanye.)

I stumbled upon this Harper’s Bazaar shoot from 2007, featuring Kate Hudson (another style idol of mine) as a modern day Daisy Buchanan—genius. I needed a vintage dress.

I settled on an eggshell peplum-waist frock that I found at Edith Machinist on the LES—hands down the best affordable vintage in the city. I hacked it off as short as humanly possible and kept saying to the tailor, “no, tighter, a little shorter,” until he felt quite uncomfortable and drew the professional line. Add fishnets, patent leather Mary Janes, and my Deepa Gurnani headband, and you got yourself a little taste of Daisy by way of Joyann. I really wanted to wear gloves like Kate Hudson, but was worried the rest of the guests wouldn’t be so in-costume—boy, was I wrong!

Clockwise from top left: Flappers and feathers; money boa equals best costume; Alia and I; the beautiful host Alexa Brazilian and her boy Tanner; don’t give this girl a gun!

The party was a full-on gin mill—a flapper and gangster’s paradise. Everyone brought their best, but my favorite look of the night involved a boa made of money.

While I didn’t find my Jay Gatsby, I did find an affinity for red lipstick (okay, I was already a fan) and a liking for gin mixed with champagne (albeit less amazing the next day). And next time, I’m wearing the gloves!

Stay tuned for my next societal undertaking—Murder on the Dance Floor, a charity party here in N.Y.C. benefiting cerebral palsy. And with a name like that, there should be more than enough fun (and fashion) to speak of.

It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

--Joyann

Backstage Report: Derek Lam & DVF–Put On Your Sunday Best!

Fashion week doesn't break for the weekend, and my “day of rest” was spent hustlin’ (not that kind) and bustlin’ at Bryant Park. The day was filled to the brim with shows and presentations and a much-needed mimosas-and-brunch pit stop. But while the champs got my mind right, what really put a hop in my step was my Sunday-parfait outfit: bell-bottom jeans, a grey KAIN tee, and a strong-shouldered blazer. Just the right amount of casual, cool, and comfy. I must sound like a freak, because even as I write this I'm wondering if these details are worthy of internet sharing, but if you’re going to survive Fashion Week, you may as well go on and get addicted. Bottoms up!

Derek Lam
Derek Lam said his collection was an “ode to summer at Asbury Park,” and apparently to all the good clean fun that comes with it. His rainbow-faced models (courtesy of Tom Pecheux at NARS) and tiny star prints brought out the American pride in me (as well as a pounding headache–a repercussion of last night’s after-parties). I loved the floral prints, rompers, and overall exuberance of the clothes. I’ve always been a fan and, even more importantly, a customer of Derek's, and if he can bring to mind snow cones and ferris wheels when all I want is a 2,000 calorie burger and a bed, well then I'll listen to his Sunday sermon any day.

Good Morning Karlie; let the rainbow charade begin!

Derek Lam bags and shoes are the chicest; he is the smartest!

Backstage Report: Rag & Bone and Alexander Wang Got All the Cool Kids, Including Yours Truly

For me, this Fashion Week can be summed up in one word: maniacal. I have not stopped. Between backstage interviews, front-row celeb stalking, and (oh yeah) reporting on the actual clothes, I have somehow managed to shower, sleep (with one eye open), and start all over again. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I live for Fashion Week and I wouldn’t have anyone else in my Sigerson Morrison black patent booties. BUT–I’m just sayin’–I’m tired. But like they say in the circus, the show must go on!

Backstage at Rag & Bone
There’s nothing like the backstage at Rag & Bone to immediately make you feel those high school insecurities all over again. With hot, hot design duo Marcus Wainwright and David Neville and their muse Freja Beha looking cool as hell, and male models and hipsters alike sipping on Peroni and smoking cigs, it’s no surprise this collection is a favorite of the cliques du jour. In fact, when I asked Marcus about the inspiration behind the spring collection he said, “It’s very Rag & Bone, it’s Freja.” Can’t argue with that! On a side note, I did see a striking blond model (not one of the Sashas!) crying by the bathroom backstage, with Gucci Westman’s makeup masterpiece dripping down her face, further proof that it’s not easy being beautiful.


From left: The GQ-worthy design duo, a sneak peek at the very “Rag & Bone” collection, Freja in hair with Teddy from Fekkai (another cool kid), and acid yellow nails–I’m in!


Cool kids everywhere! I spy Sasha P!

HOLY S*&#!!! Wardrobe Freak Out Fashion Week-Style

News from Our NY Editor at Large

New York Fashion Week starts in exactly seven days, and I have literally worn cutoffs for 90 days straight, avoided the dry cleaners at all cost, and, blame it on a cycle of pack-unpack-pack-unpack, managed to let my closet turn into something resembling a hurricane aftermath. My mother is going to kill me for putting the before image of my closet on the web, but I will just have to remind her that I’m also responsible for the after image—when I decided to take back my life and organize my closet over the weekend. Five hours, three breakdowns, and six bags for Goodwill later, I got my closet and thoughts organized enough to actually consider my wardrobe options for Fashion Week.

Before: summer closet (left). After: fall closet (right).

Last season I spent Fashion Week on camera, which meant that while I could have a tiny bit of fun with my accessories, my clothes needed to be basic. I had to avoid oversized prints (I love!), see-through fabrics (I die!), and too much black (my favorite color!). A wise fashion editor once told me to wear solid, brightly colored, tailored pieces when filming to help combat the ten pounds that, yes, the camera does add. This season, while I will be reporting from the tents, frolicking backstage, and event-hopping, I will be doing it with my reporter’s pad and voice recorder—bring on the leopard and the sheer!

4 Hotties + 2 Dogs + 1 Duffel o’ Thayer + 1 Montauk Share = 1 Seriously Fashionable Weekend

News from Our NY Editor at Large

Summer’s in full swing and that means we New Yorkers are heading “east” for weekend escapes from the concrete jungle. And just like you saw in Sex and the City, we opt for share houses, where beds are questionable and you pray your weekend roommates aren’t serial killers. This year my crew (shopbop’s Kate, Thayer’s Marsha Welcher, and my little sister, Rachel) opted for the far east, the tip of Long Island, where flip-flops and beers are more prevalent than popped collars and vino: Montauk. A surfer’s paradise and a single girl’s dream, we packed up our pups and hit the highway while visions of beergaritas and freckle-faced tans danced in our heads.

It’s the first road trip for Vivian, the King Charles, and Luca, the Whippet!

Our share house was a pleasant surprise. Except for the blast-from-the-past ’80s decor, the whitewashed digs were right on Long Island Sound and boasted hammocks and sunsets to die for. We headed straight for Ditch Plains Beach, where surfboards outnumber sunbathers. Kate wore her favorite Nightcap Clothing vest for the perfect cover-up that covers up, well, nothing! And I rocked the Siwy cutoffs that I have been wearing to death all summer long! Thanks to several events happening at Montauk hotspots Sole East and Surf Lodge, the beach looked much like a Manhattan brunch spot chock-full of editors and fashionistas—just replace their skinny jeans and mimosas with bikinis and beer.

The U.S. Open—And It’s Pronounced “BOW-GEE” Not “BOOGIE”

News from Our NY Editor at Large

Hi dolls, I have been practicing my golf clap since the last time we spoke, and I’m convinced there is nothing more elegant than the game of golf. To be honest, I have never shown any interest in the game. In fact, when my dad suggested I join the golf team in high school, I looked at him with horror, but leave it to my mom to suggest that a golf tournament could be a nice way to meet a boy. Enter the U.S. Open. Held in Bethpage, New York, a mere train ride away from Manhattan, I put on my khaki shorts (don’t worry, they were studded), left my cell phone at home (to our dismay they were not allowed), and headed to the greens with Marsha Welcher, the talented and adventurous designer of Thayer.

We had been planning our outfits weeks in advance, but our ideas quickly became bigger than the event—long, flowing white dress, denim romper, harem pants and backless tank. We were politely reminded that maybe, just maybe, we should tone it down—this is a sporting event after all, not a runway show. We were escorted by my parents and spent the entire train ride becoming quick studies in the language and players (the young, good-looking ones, to be exact). I got a big laugh from the man behind me when I asked innocently, “What is a Bogey?” It’s pronounced “BOW-GEE” and I said “BOOGIE.” Oops. Marsha, the consummate researcher, made us a study guide of the top ten players to know, and according to the rest of the travelers on our train she got an A-plus for effort!

Will Go Uptown (For A Good Cause)

News from Our NY Editor at Large

Clockwise from left: Kate and me, LL Cool J, Tamarama, Kate and Matt Bernson.

An event that requires me and my partner in crime, Kate, to venture above 14th Street and into a mega-club had better be two things: charitable and fashionable. And if LL Cool J is hosting, it doesn’t hurt either. Last week’s Pay It Fashion Forward—put on by Fashion Delivers, a nonprofit organization that aids victims of disasters and others in need—recognized several industry vanguards for their positive influence on their community, and boasted an open bar, throwback tunes from my man LL, and a performance by Tamarama. (Oh, you know them. Remember Whitney Port’s long-haired hottie of a boyfriend in The City? It’s his band. Don’t worry, I snagged a picture.)

We grabbed dinner at our favorite hole-in-the-wall café on Bleecker before hailing a cab uptown to the event’s venue, M2 Ultra Lounge. Kate and I dressed twinsies-style in rompers and heels—great minds think alike! She donned a black one by Elizabeth and James that I’ve been eyeing, and I wore my go-to Alexander Wang bubble-print one from holiday ’08. If it ain’t broke…

We arrived on the earlier side and were shocked that the club was already packed. I overheard someone say more than 500 people were there. Clearly this wasn’t your average stop-in-and-go fashion event. We had to prioritize. Cocktails? Check. Pic with LL? Check. Scan of the room for good-looking men? Check.

Now, let the run-ins begin. When you’ve been working in fashion in N.Y.C. for as long as we have, these events always turn into mini reunions. We chatted with our favorite Glamour fashion blogger (and my former colleague at Elle.com), Tracey Lomrantz, who was actually miked for some secret show she was taping…hmmm. Then, oddly, we ran into my next-door neighbors (literally—I share a balcony with these boys!), who, though they’re not in fashion, are college buds with Matt Bernson, King of Sandals and a member of the selection committee for the event. Small world! Lucky for us, the boys had the hook-up—a table in the V.I.P. section. Kate and I danced in our short-shorts to all of our favorite hip-hop tunes and embraced life in the clubs!

We had plans to hit up a mutual friend’s birthday party, so we had to say goodbye to our newfound club life and head—where else?—downtown to a dive bar, where we belong.

Check back in a couple days for details on my outing with Thayer designer Marsha Welcher at the U.S. Open. And I do mean the golf one.

xo,
Joyann

When in Rome: Cali Edition—How to Dress Like a Local without Looking Like a Wannabe

News from Our NY Editor at Large

Hi dolls, I am writing to you from 10,000 feet in the air, on my way back from the City of Angels. I took advantage of the long weekend to convince my childhood bestie to meet me in LA for absolutely no reason other than she’s never been to California, and I was itching to cruise around in a Mustang convertible (no shame, baby!). I’ve been up to my ears in deadlines, fall previews, and the anticipation of a jam-packed summer and needed three full days of no agenda to recharge my fashion batteries.

Meg and I rockin’ the white-hot Mustang convertible—no shame!

I don’t know if it is my astrological destiny (I am a Pisces, and we love to wear costumes), but I find the best part of traveling is embracing the culture, especially when it comes to fashion. On a recent trip to Newport, Rhode Island, with the stylish Marsha Welcher of Thayer, we showed up with weekend bags chock-full of nautical stripes and boat shoes. And just as I wore sleek black cigarette pants, classic ballet flats, and boy-meets-girl blazers and button-downs while in Paris, I set out to accomplish a similar fashion show while in LA. So to pack for my California weekend, I put the Eagles on repeat on my iPod, The Hills on mute in the background, and tried to channel me some Kate Hudson while surveying my closet. I’ve found that dressing like a local but still managing to feel like yourself is as simple as 1-2-3.

Free Arts NYC Annual Auction: A Chic-Fest for the Style Set and Chuck Bass?

News from Our NY Editor at Large

Every once in a while I find myself covered in glitter, glue, and puffy paint (I heart!) while volunteering at Free Arts Day, a Saturday arts festival for kids to build their creativity and self-confidence. I’ve been partnered with the silliest little girls who move from station to station leaving messy projects (and me!) in their sparkly dust, as well as meticulous boys who shock me with their eye for detail and desire to make the perfect gingerbread house (my kind of man). The kids have a blast, and I have an excuse to release my decoupage-loving inner 10-year-old.

These festivals are just one example of the amazing programs created by Free Arts NYC. Monday night I headed to their annual art auction hosted by Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein, Glenda Bailey of Harper’s Bazaar, and David Granger of Esquire (to name drop but a few). The people at Calvin Klein transformed their space in the Garment District into an art gallery and filled it with chic-ettes and hipsters alike.

Calvin Klein’s space in the Garment District was transformed into an art gallery for the auction.

Revelations in Paris: Less is more and your style only evolves if you do too!

News from Our NY Paris Editor at Large

Paris in the springtime is every bit as good as they say: tulips in full bloom, chocolate twice a day, and French women with style so chic the words “girl crush” come to mind. I took a little spring break from good ole New York to scratch my shopping itch with my mom and sister in the City of Lights. We filled our mornings with museums (Musée Rodin is a must, and bring walkie talkies if taking on the Louvre), our afternoons drowning in all the Frenchie labels I die for (American Retro, Vanessa Bruno, Antik Batik, Ash), and our nights drinking wine and discussing important issues like boys and fashion.

I have to admit the French are truly ahead of New Yorkers style-wise. I saw trends that just hit the elite editorials in the States already being sold in the high street shops on Rue de Rivoli and even being worn, shockingly, by real women! Most visible were floor-grazing skirts worn for day, printed jumpsuits, and thousands of renditions of The New Pant (pleated, peg leg, harem, cropped, you name it). I admit, I had not fully accepted these “hard-to-wear shapes,” but enough curiosity paired with a little bravery in the dressing room revealed that these styles are not just made for svelte models and are, in fact, genius for showing off some curves. My bravery landed me several new looks to bring back across the Atlantic and a new mantra on personal style: To EVOLVE your look, your boundaries have to CHANGE!

From left: First cappuccino of the trip; my secret no-crowds-allowed view of the Eiffel Tower; the Frenchie in me wearing the New Pant and feeling quite chic!

On my last day, I caught up with Gabriella Cortese, design genius behind the cult status bohemian label Antik Batik. Being a huge dork, I chose my most recent shopbop purchase, the embellished Antik Batik Langoa Dress, for my appointment. Arriving at her boutique on Rue de Turenne (one of three shops in Paris), I immediately broke into a shopping-anxiety-induced sweat—think sequins, fringe, and a color palette that reminded me of my favorite Lisa Frank binders from middle school. I had literally died and gone to hippie-chic heaven! But, before I could get my greedy little hands on those pink Squaw beaded moccasins, I sat down with Gabriella for a little who-what-why, hoping to gain an ounce of her cool factor through interview osmosis…

Antik Batik designer, Gabriella Cortese.

Joyann King: Who is the Antik Batik girl?

Gabriella Cortese: She is a dandy bohemian girl who loves to travel around the world and be inspired by the different styles. She loves to mix it up with bold prints and beaded things. She is urban and modern, without losing her taste for ancient, handmade garments.

JK: She is one cool chick! Antik Batik has a very distinct take on bohemian, a trend that is everywhere now. Where do you get your inspiration?

GC: The bohemian way of life comes straight from the middle of Europa and art nouveau, the 1900s artists like Klimt and Kokoschka. But also from faraway places—those embroideries that start the Silk Road from India and land in Hungary. I myself am a mixture of all that. I’m Italian with a Hungarian grandmother and have now been living in Paris for so long. Roots are the base of everything; that’s why my collections remind me of them.

JK: Gotcha, this is not faux bohemian, but the real deal. What is the one thing in your closet you can’t live without?

GC: A sequined dress!

JK: I love the bling too. If you weren’t a fashion designer you would be a…

GC: An adventurer!

JK: You already are that! Your favorite place in the world is…

GC: My house in Paris, in Pigalle; it is so peaceful in such a crazy area!

JK: I have seen your house featured in many home magazines, it is très chic! Tell me, what does every American girl need to learn from the French fashion set?

GC: How to be sexy without showing so much skin!

I’m going to start using the word “dandy” immediately and am all of a sudden in desperate need of a sequined dress. Gabriella’s style philosophy and her label’s dedication to the ancient craft of batik are completely inspiring. I have been a huge fan of Antik Batik since its early years, but now I’m what you might call “completely and utterly obsessed!” Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have shopping to do…

My VIP shopping trip at Antik Batik. I bought a turquoise sequined dress per Gabriella’s advice, and my sister snagged a one-of-a-kind hand-printed scarf!

For more on my trip, check out my blog, Style Secrets, at SELF.com. I’ll be back in May covering the New York fashion circuit and breaking in my school’s-out-for-summer wardrobe!

Au revoir,
Joyann