Matchesfashion Pop-up Shop in NYC

If you haven’t heard of Matchesfashion, you need to crawl slowly from under that rock and discover this online mega fashion paradise.  Matchesfashion.com held a three-day fashion residency in NYC at the fabulous World of McIntosh (WOM)  four-story townhouse complete with indoor swimming pool and a fantastic rooftop terrace!  Matchesfashion treated guests to brunch, cocktails, music, fashion and an up close preview of the Fall 2016 collections and vacation edit. As if this wasn’t enough to make any girl happy, you could also talk and interact with top names shaping the fashion and art world like Leandra Medine of Manrepellar, The Coveteur, Eugene Tong and Paddle8.

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IMG_6386I found my #Happyplace by the indoor swimming pool. Pristine pools of water are magnetic  for nonswimmers.  Who needs pink swans and unicorns when I can have giraffes and zebras to cuddle with me? One of the giraffes told me that I should skip kissing frogs in search of my prince charming and kiss a few giraffes and zebras on my journey instead. Agreed!

IMG_0024_1 IMG_0044_1 IMG_0048_1Now let’s get to the interesting stuff.  The Q&A with Leandra Medine and Natalie Kingham (buying director of Matchesfashion) was informative and insightful.  They discussed how social media and blogs were shaping and changing the way we digest fashion information and as a result the way we shop.
Buyers have the difficult job of creating a shopping selection that has something that speaks to the style sense of every consumer. I learned that even though a buyer’s personal taste automatically influences their style, it’s important to try to disassociate from this natural instinct and think “is there a consumer for this item, even if you wouldn’t wear it?”

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My favorite quote by Medine was “your closet shouldn’t look like the grocery aisle in a supermarket.” As fashion savvy as the author appears on Manrepellar, she does not recommend buying things simply because they are new, hot or trending. It’s hard for us not to give in to this urge of shopping “on trend” items when they are parading down our timeline and bouncing off the glossy pages of this month’s issue of InStyle or Vogue magazine and into your subconscious. I suppose my wallet, credit limits, and monthly bills provide checks and balances when my subsconsious starts to speak to me. When I tried to splurge on $605 Aquazzura raffia pom-pom sandals, my debit card  said “you have to pay taxes this month,” then my subconscious replied “but you’ll need them if you decide to go to St. Tropez this summer. Finally, the  $495 available credit on my Amex had the last word. Boo! Anyway, I had just as much fun  exploring the  pop-up shop as I would actually shopping.

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It’s super easy to get caught up in the fashion frenzy when everyone looks so perfect and chic. Leandra was super honest in saying that even though Matchesfashion decorated her in a beautiful spotted Osman coat, the price tag, in addition to not being able to wear it a gazillion times during the spring, makes it impractical if you’re ballin’ on a budget. If you feel like you absolutely need it, then you can shop it here.
Not much to say about this look other than, everything I am wearing I’ve had for over three years, except for the shoes. H&M top and Zara skirt.

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I would love to prepare a similar look for you to shop but unfortunately, it’s 70 degrees outside today and mommy wants to go out for a play date. Check back this post tomorrow and I will share some faves in order to GET THE LOOK!  Happy Sunday Lovies xoxoSB

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Photographer : Ramone Henry

Afro Chíc

Latest obsession : retro and bohemian style.

In a world where I’m used to deeming coiffed cuts or perfectly curled silky tresses as elegant,  my hair has become a dictionary definition for the term afro chic. I’m having the time of my life figuring out what to wear each day and how to make my soft, Jamaican, curly, locks translate to NYC glamazon.

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I honestly feel like I have to put more thought into my outfits because of my hair, but they always end up more fun. Like my wild carefree hair is an easy pass to treating my body like a blank canvas and splattering prints, patterns and textures all over.

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The result? – A personal piece of black girl art left for the interpretation of the pedestrians of NYC.

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image1My inspiration for this outfit came from a look at the Vivienne Tam Fall 2016 fashion show this February. This look opened the show and stole my heart at hello.

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I caught up with Tam backstage and spoke with her about her inspiration for the show. From season to season she never fails to create an entirely different style concept for you to fall in love with.

IMG_9794Vivienne describes the collection as a “cultural dreamland – like a cultural collage with influences from Turkey to China.” Perfect for girls like me who like to treat their bodies like a drawing board for embracing other cultures or emphasizing their own.

 

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Side note – how #amazeballs is this bag I haven’t been this excited about a new addition to my closet in years!  #GodBlessGucci and the men that can afford pretty little toys like these Thank you so much for the incredible gift!  XoxoSB

GET THE LOOK

Topshop sequin sweater ( sold out)

Topshop pleated skirt ( similar here and here )

Gucci double G leather belt  (color – cerise)

Gucci platform pumps

Gucci Dionysus GG supreme embroidered bag

Photographer : Liubov Vell

Shop the Vivienne Tam Collection :  40 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013