Socialite Prep Work

Once upon a time, I was an Abercrombie & Fitch wearing teenager who spent all of her babysitting money on A & F polos bearing the moose emblem. I did so all in the name of preppiness. This was a precursor of the Aspiring Socialite journey I would embark on as a young adult in New York City. Over the years, I have found preppy style to be as timeless as a tennis foursome. Preppy fashion is not a requirement of being a socialite, it is an inevitability of the high life.  These looks are as classic and versatile as men’s suits or the little black dress.

Popularized by the Kennedys, America’s Royal Family, preppy fashion with its iconic collars, plaids, and argyles is as distinctive as the East Coast Ivys where it originated. Even if you have never played tennis or golf, you have probably worn the clothes or at least an inspired style. These virtually unchanging looks give us a much-needed element of dressy casual. If it were up to me, we would all participate in athletics photo ready with a color coordinated collared shirt and matching bottoms? If there is anything I have learned in my 24 years on this Earth, it is that it is always better to be overdressed than under dressed. What separates a true prep from the rest of society is that a true prep is never under dressed no matter what the circumstances may be.

For a photo tutorial on how preppiness has stood the test of time check out Take Ivy:

Tips for Conquering Fashion Week

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week begins this week. Sadly there is nothing I can do as far as Social Media Week colliding with it.  However, along with deciphering a subway map, I have also discovered ways to take Fashion Week the same way Kourtney and Kim have taken New York.  Although we all aspire to have a seat next to the runway like Anna Wintour, it is not always going to happen.  However, that doesn’t mean you can’t experience all of the fun and excitement that is Fashion Week.  The clothes are awesome and all, but in the end, everyone is really in it for the parties and free champagne.  Here are five rules to live by if you plan on conquering Fashion Week from the bottom up.

Rule #1 Show Off Your Dark Side: Though you may be tempted to splurge on a colorful couture outfit to stand out among the fashion community, there is really no need to do that.  In fact, I highly discourage it.  The idea is not to call attention to yourself, but to the clothes being displayed on the runway.  Neutral tones of black and grey are the way to go.  Now is the time to break out that signature little black dress you already have in your closet.

Rule #2 Don’t Cause a Champagne Crisis: Free champagne and organic cocktails are two of the many benefits of being invited to exclusive Fashion Week events.  Always drink responsibly.  In the event that you are done consuming alcohol for the night, yet still want to invoke an image of Fashion Week excess, sip diet ginger ale from your champagne flute and the night is all yours.

Rule #3 Blow is Never the Way to Go: 80s inspired styles belong on the runway, not up your nose.  Please enjoy a drug-free Fashion Week.

Rule #4 Beware of Creepy Old Men: Believe it or not, creepy old men that should be hitting up Match.com, run rampant at Fashion Week waiting for some model or onlooker to get wasted or become desperate.  Stay as far away as possible from these individuals.  Not only are they annoying, they are trouble.

Rule #5 Pretend to Know Everything & Everyone, Even if you Don’t: To act as if you know fashion, is to know fashion.  Throughout the course of Fashion Week, the people you meet will bring up names of designers, models, etc. that you have never heard of.  Never reveal your ignorance.  Superficial answers like “Yes, they are so inspiring” are completely sufficient.

After Party Flats are Flat Out Amazing

 

The first rule of New York City is “Never go barefoot.”  But, after a long night out on the town in a city that glorifies both tall buildings and 6-inch heels, you are going to want to do the unthinkable and walk the streets of Manhattan with shoes in hand.  Like most rules here in the Big Apple, the barefoot rule was meant to be broken.  While you might have begun the evening looking like a princess in $700 Louboutin heels, the higher the heel the more likely you are to end the night barefoot as a pauper.

The invention of After Party Flats may just have saved me and millions of other stylish socialites from an incurable foot disease.  The concept is both simple and stylish making them a total socialite staple. All you do is fold up an adorable pair of ballet flats that coordinate with the night’s outfit and slip them in your bag.  When you can no longer handle the agony of your killer heels, pull the switch.  Just remember to find a safe place to store those fabulous Louboutins.  Your newly found comfort is bound to result in a much longer evening in the city that never sleeps.  So get yourself a pair of after party flats because even socialites can’t afford to sell their sole.

 

Kinder Aggugini for Macy’s Preview

Rising London-based fashion designer, Kinder Aggugini who previously designed for houses such as Versace, John Galliano, and Vivienne Westwood, will be designing a line exclusively for the Macy’s Impulse Department set to hit stores in February 2011.  Thanks to my blogger status, I was invited to preview this exciting collaboration at the Gramercy Park Hotel, which in and of itself is a gothic work of art.  Kinder’s unique style is seen in his use of expert tailoring combined with a punk rock edge.  His newest collection has a touch of Chanel with edgy rocker undertones.

Going along with the rocker theme, socialite, Alexandra Richards, daughter of famed Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards, DJ-ed for the preview event in which Kinder himself flew in from London to make a personal appearance. In order to cater to the aspiring, most of the line will be in the price range of $40-$140 with a few items going for up to $300. Along with the rock sensibility, Kinder’s designs have an ultra feminine quality with brightly colored aspects and Kimono inspired styles.  We can’t all be the children of rock stars like Alexandra Richards, but every Aspiring Socialite could use a little edge.

Desigual: Be Not the Same

Once you achieve a life of fame and fortune, some days you are just going to want the paparazzi to leave you alone.  However, you NEVER want them to forget about you completely.  So, when you need a little extra attention from friends, family, and the press, consider wearing something from Desigual which in Spanish translates to “not the same.”  In case you can’t tell from the Spanish word and bright colors, Desigual hails from the same land as the House of Balenciaga and famed shoe designer, Manuel “Manolo” Blahnik Rodriguez. Though it is difficult to translate the term completely, “Aspiring Socialite” in Spanish is “Aspirante a Mujer de Sociedad.”

If you are wondering where my Spanish skills come from, I credit my Venezuelan mother who recently fell in love with Desigual while in Spain and brought me back a shirt that I love.  As the nation with the most Miss Universe winners, fashion and beauty are a constant part of the Venezuelan lifestyle.  Two Desigual stores recently opened in the Big Apple within blocks of one another.  One is located in Herald Square and the other on 34th St. and 5th Ave.  But, if you are planning a vacation to Spain, pretend you didn’t hear that and visit the many locations in Spain.