Step By Step Guide On How Not To Get Trampled.

Yeah, that's right. This ish is so serious that you need a guide to shopping!

H&M is launching Lanvin for H&M November 20th. Since the collection is in very high demand, we’re expecting a crowd.

What do I do if I arrive before opening hours?

If there is a line, please wait in line, and H&M store staff will inform you on how to shop.

How does the queuing system work?

The first 320 in line will receive one of 16 different colored bracelets, 20 people for each bracelet color; on the bracelet you will be given a specific time for shopping in our designated area. The bracelets are only needed for the women’s collection. Customers buying the men’s collection will not require a bracelet.

When your time slot arrives, you will enter the designated area to shop for 15 minutes. Our goal is to create a better shopping experience for our customers.

If you are not one of the first 320 in line, you will of course have the opportunity to shop from the rest of the collection or within H&M. When the 16 groups have finished their shopping, we will also open up a designated area for all our customers.

To make sure as many customers as possible are able to buy the collection, we have a shopping limit. Every customer can buy from the entire collection, but with a limit of purchasing two pieces per product i.e. not more than two sizes (shoes/garments) or pieces (accessories) per product per customer. The shopping limit covers the entire Lanvin for H&M collection. Your place in line does not guarantee any items from the Lanvin for H&M collection.


Sigh...the guys that are interested are in luck. Hmph! Men don't need bracelets...
Now you need to now where to shop. Not all locations will carry the collection. Form a strategy on which location will be less likely to have you in an altercation.


Scottsdale, Arizona: Scottsdale Fashion Square.

Boston, Massachusetts: 100 Newbury Street.

Costa Mesa, California: South Coast Plaza

Glendale, California: Americana at Brand.

Los Angeles, California: Beverly Center; Westfield Century City.

San Diego, California: Fashion Valley Mall.

San Francisco, California: 150 Powell Street.

West Hollywood, California: 8580 Sunset Boulevard.

New York, New York: 1328 Broadway; 150 East 86th Street; 435 7th Avenue; 515 Broadway; 640 5th Avenue; 731 Lexington Avenue.

Columbus, Ohio: 140 Easton Town Center.

Portland, Oregon: Pioneer Place

Seattle Washington: 520 Pike Street.

Washington D.C.: 1025 F Street, NW.

Orlando, Florida: The Florida Mall.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida: The Gardens Mall.

Atlanta, Georgia (woot!): Atlantic Station.

Chicago, Illinios: 840 North Michigan Avenue.


GOOD LUCK!

Dare To Wear Tights

Check out Khloe Kardashian in Wolford tights.
I'm really loving the interesting prints on tights that are out now. They're a really cool way to add a bit of cheekiness to your look.
Khloes look is not my fave, but Asos has some great and affordable options so you can make it work for you!


Jonathan Aston Ripped Tights
$17.24

ASOS Nude Heart Suspender Sheer Tights
$17.24

ASOS Lace Over The knee & Sheer Tights
$17.24

ASOS Black Wild Flower Tights
$13.79

Emilio Cavallini Houndstooth Tights
$23.27

Snub-A-Rub-Rub Your Nose In It!

The heat is on! The fashion world is buzzing with excitement over the Lanvin H&M collaboration, and celebs like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez want a piece of the action! Unfortunately for them, it appears they'll have to wait just like the rest of us.

They were both denied advanced pieces from the collection, being told that no one would be receiving anything until after the runway show November 18th.




So why have British B-listers, singer/songwriters Roisin Murphy and Sophie-Ellis Bextor already been photographed wearing the goods!?
Oops! Looks like someones been snubbed!
Can't imagine why though, probably an oversight. riiiight...

Outfit Re-Creation

Here is Kourtney Kardashian shopping at Jeffrey in NYC. Full skirts of all lengths are hot for Fall. Choose one that ends above the knee to make a perfect pairing with another huge fall trend, stockings! No need to show leg and cleavage simultaneously, at least not during the day, so choose a top that covers the twins.

I wore a similar outfit recently, because my skirt was plaid I chose to steer clear of the button downs or ties, I didn't want to take it to far into catholic school territory. Instead I chose a cap sleeve knit, with pearl detail near the collar.
My skirt is by Kinsey, the top is from INC. both available at Macy's. I picked my stockings up at H&M, and the booties (which I know you don't have a clear view of, sorry) are Giuseppe Zannotti.





*Sidebar: I really used to love Jeffrey, but there is an extremely rude sales manager(? short, fat, bald) working there. Despite the fact that he would greet me with the perfunctory air kiss whenever I walked in, I one day overheard him whisper to the salesperson helping me that he'd "chosen the wrong customer."
Well excuse me Fatty two by four! I may not buy 10 pairs at a time, but I am a regular customer, and my money is as green as anyone else's. Maybe he hadn't noticed that there are no shortages of shoe stores in NYC. I can, and did take my money elsewhere! End rant*

Deciphering The Dress Code.

Lately the line between casual and formal wear has become increasingly blurred. There is much effort required in following traditional guidelines of dressing for an event, and so it is that blue jeans have become a red carpet norm, when they used to only be fit for ditch digging.
Whether this is for better or for worse is personal opinion. Shouldn't you be allowed to dress in whatever way you choose? On the other hand, we can all appreciate the old adage that dressing well is akin to good manners. Think of a woman you consider elegant...would she attend a special event in jeans? No? So why should any of us aspire to less?
My personal style is somewhat conservative, so please feel free to disagree. In my opinion, when you are friendly with those putting on the event, you may know what is acceptable based on more than the guidelines of an invitation. If however, you are at all unsure, it may be best to familiarize oneself with traditional standards of dress so as not to make a faux pas.

White Tie:
Men should wear tuxedos with tails, without exception.
Women should wear full length evening gowns, with long (opera) gloves.
Remember this?

This is a perfect example not only of white tie dress, but also, just how outdated it is. But if an occasion ever calls for it, you'll know.

Black Tie:

Men should wear tuxedos, sans tails.

Women should wear full length evening gowns, but you can definitely skip the gloves now, unless you like them. Be extremely careful should you choose to get creative here, and only do so if you are very familiar with with the host/hostess. The invite said black tie for a reason. If a gown really rubs you the wrong way, you may want to try a tux in a feminine cut. Here are a few examples of what I think is appropriate for a black tie event.

Beautiful open back on this gown, a nice back can be incredibly sexy.
Mary L Couture Open Back Jeweled Gown. $306.00 at Saks.com

Aidan Mattox Niteline Women's Sleeveless O-Ring Long Silk Chiffon Dress. $360.00 at Bloomingdales.com

Amsale Party One-Shoulder Chiffon Gown. $770.00 at saks.com

ABS One Shoulder Gown $435.00 at saks.com

ABS is known for recreating fashion do's. I absolutely adored this look on Katherine Hiegl at the 2008 Oscars. The skirt of the ABS version is a bit of a letdown though, but I'm seriously considering buying this dress and seeing what some good tailoring can do to it. So, come awards season, if a celeb is wearing a dress you love, remember to look out for a version from ABS coming soon.


Cocktail:
Cocktail allows for a slightly more sexy and provocative style of dress. These dresses are generally not far below knee length, and depending on how much leg you like to show, they could be much higher than knee length.

Mandalay Beaded Dress. $1250.00 neimanmarcus.com

Mandalay Jewel Collar Dress. $965.00 neimanmarcus.com

Phoebe Couture Tier Petal Dress. $330.00

BCBGMAXAZRIA Strapless Faux Two Piece Dress. $298.00 Nordstrom.com

Notte by Marchesa One-Shoulder Chiffon Dress. $660.00 neimanmarcus.com

Diane von Furstenberg Devette Sequined Dress. $525.00 saks.com

Shout out to SGHI reader, Samantha, who inspired this post.

By readers's request....

It appears that many people are enamored with these great pair of heels from Balenciaga's Fall 2008 collection. I myself think that they are pretty cute. My dear friend Stacy saw them first on Rocsi (of all people) from 106 & Park and immediately took a liking to them. She loved the look of them; however, she would have preferred something in the same style but open-toed and gold. Of course, I couldn't find an opened toed version from Balenciaga... but I did come across one or two pairs that she may be able to substitute.
Guess $125 @ Lord & Taylor

Jimmy Choo $675 @ Bergdorf Goodman.

I am not sure if you are looking for a solid back or if you wanted mules. I understand that these looks aren't identical to Balenciaga but I hope they are a good substitution. If not let me know, and I'll try to look for a more suitable pair.

Your Wardrobe May Need A DVF Intervention!

Today, very good friend of SGHI, Jamila, was preparing to go to her company's annual Holiday Party.
I was on the phone with her while she lamented what she felt was a lack of wardrobe choices, although we shop ALL THE TIME. In this instance I felt her though, because the same dresses you might choose to wear for a night out on the town with your girls, may not be appropriate for a night with bosses and co-workers.
Hot and sexy 20-somethings that we are, you don't want the people you work with to drink too much punch and start staring at your T 'n' A, it's not your fault you're the perkiest in the room!

This is why I adore Diane Von Furstenberg! I am a collector of DVF, with no intention of stopping. My boyfriend makes fun of me every time I pick up something new from them, but these classic pieces are beyond fashion, and will never go out of style. They are appropriate for any occasion, and exude sophistication and well-heeled taste. Stock up!



Of course, the best place to start a DVF collection is with a classic, Black wrap dress. They are made every season, you can get them anytime.





Jazz things up with a bold pattern or bright color.







You will always be adult sexy, not "pussy-cat dolls" sexy with a vast array of styles and colors to choose from. Happy Hunting!

Thick Legs and all...

Just recently, as Kamilah has already stated we saw Secret Life of the Bees...where Alicia Keys was one of the co-stars. I remember remarking to Kamilah that Alicia Keys has "cankles"... you know.. Fat ass ankles :)

(See pic above)Point Noted!

Being a girl with thick legs, I know that this in no way takes away from Alicia's beauty, it's just funny to look @. Here are a few of the latest pics of Alicia Keys looking stunning...






So tell me... what will it be CaNkLeS or ANKLES? Does it really make a difference?

Underwear, Outerwear?

What do you think of Gwyneth Paltrows's look? I think the shoes are gross, but I like the outfit. Unfortunately, not everyone could wear it and manage to not look trashy.

I think this a case where knowing your body type, and the vibe you exude becomes really important. The reason Gwyneth can wear this is because she gives off zero sex vibes. Sure, sexy comes in many different forms, and Gwyneth Paltrow may be a lovely woman, but you don't look at her and think of anything overtly sensual.

Thoughts? Yay or Nay?

Kinda' Makes You Want Some New Sneakers...

Nike gets sexy, and I like it. Featuring Lebron James and Nicole Scherwhatever.

Labels or Designers? Which of the two draws you in to spend the big bucks?

Last week, I was perusing the racks in the alice & olivia store on 40th street between 5th and 6th. I found a few lovely dresses and tops and as I was making my way to the dressing room to try them on, the sales person stopped me and offered to take my things to a room. I happened to look down @ her booties and thought that they looked rather cute and comfortable and that they complemented her outfit well. I of course asked where she bought them and she told me that they were designed by Stacey Bendet who is the designer for alice & olivia. I immediately turned around to see if there was another section of the store that I had overlooked and the sales person just smiled and said "you aren't going to find them here, because we don't sell shoes; not yet @ least."

Needless, to say I was confused. Finally she stopped her incessant laughter and told me that I could get a pair for only $48 dollars @ a place that I wouldn't guess.

PAYLESS

I was floored! I know that many stores have been soliciting the help of established designers to come in and revamp their line or to design an additional line for them to increase sales and bring variety. Like H & M, and Target, it seems that Payless has jumped on the band wagon.

Stacey Bendet's designs were released in about 400 payless stores, and you can also find her designs online @ the payless website.

Here is a look @ some of the designs and a picture of Stacey herself donning a pair.


Click on all pics to Enlarge

I like the grey ones, they are the ones that the sales attendant was wearing. Would any of you buy a pair? Or, is the purpose of purchasing designer labels a way to separate the elite from the working/lower class; and to obtain bragging rights? If that's the case then, IMO that's ridiculous... one should buy shoes because they like/love them not because of the label. I understand that certain labels you can trust in terms of fit and a guaranteed long lasting effect, but you have to try something once to know that you don't like it,right?

Remember, it's a recession y'all, you better act like you know :)