December 3, 2008
amNewYork's guide to style
Fashion Olympics
It's not easy looking good when you're sweating up a storm. Just ask Olympic athletes. Not that fashion's the point. Still, it's always interesting to spot champions who manage to exhibit not just grace under pressure but style, too.
Stay stylish in the gym
During the summer, less clothing is de rigeur and staying fit is essential. Thankfully, workout gear can marry stylish form and function this season with fabrics that keep you cool, dry and even chic.
The perfect shorts for your body type
Legs are out in full force this summer. But shorts aren't exactly an easy trend to pull off -- the garment brings out questions of etiquette (too casual for the workplace?), length (how short is too short?), fit (are these too baggy for a night out?), style (what shoes go?) and, of course, the ability to even pull the look off.
Embracing hippie chic
Summer is all about carefree days spent lazing around in the sun -- or at least that's what it should be about. So it's no surprise that we can't get enough of this season's neo-hippie trend: flowing long dresses, feathers, fringe, tie-dye. And, if you're like us, you'll love these accessories that'll add just the right amount of flower power to your summer style.
Men: Feel and look cool in summer
Sorry to break the bad news, but you can't rewrite the dress-code rules of corporate New York and you certainly can't will Al Roker to predict under-85-degree weather. But thanks to lightweight menswear styles, you can look cool at the office this summer -- and actually feel it.
Board the beauty train
Squeezing zits, plucking grays, going to bed with mascara on -- we all know they're beauty no-nos, but we all do 'em anyway. Add making up your face on the subway or bus to the list. It's messy, it's tacky, it's rude. And it's unavoidable.
Neutral nails in for summer
It's time to ditch those bold nail colors and opt for a more neutral shade. Why? 'Cause beige is big, baby.
A stylish urban summer
In New York during the summer, our birds of paradise are pigeons, our tropical breezes come courtesy of subway tunnels and our beach umbrellas usually take the form of tiny colorful parasols in our drinks.
Finding the perfect skirt
It's time to make a springtime resolution: Incorporate a few skirts into the dress routine we've become so used to. And with this season's looks, it's hard not to want to shake things up a bit.
Don't let finding jeans make you blue, guys
All men are not created equal. And neither are their jeans.
Time is now to get down with down
It's in the stores, all over street corners and quite possibly on someone you love. The down jacket is a winter staple in New York, designed to fend off the cold -- no matter what you're wearing.
Salons for your inner celeb
Ask any celeb: Privacy is the ultimate luxury. Manhattan's top salons understand this fact of fame, offering private rooms -- and time-saving simultaneous services -- to the "no closeups" crowd. But the beauty buzz is that VIP rooms are available to anyone who prefers not to be seen getting extensions or covered in tinfoil strips. And, typically, they don't cost extra. So make like a celeb and demand your own VIP room. Here's where you can feel famous.
The politics of style
Give those tired "Vote for" t-shirts and boring "I support" buttons a rest: We've got new political fashion picks that will get your election '08 wardrobe noticed.
Swimming in Hollywood glamour
Classic Hollywood glamour has not only taken over the runway -- it's seeped into swimwear as well. Ruched one-pieces and high-waisted bikini briefs have popped everywhere from Victoria's Secret to haute couture.
Scent the most important accessory
Perfume "is the last accessory you put on when you leave the house, and it's the first thing people notice when they meet you," says Robert Gerstner, co-owner of West Village fragrance boutique Aedes de Venustas.
Precious Metals
Metallics are a perennial in the world of fashion, classic on an evening clutch or shoe. And now, beauty companies are adding precious elements like copper, silver and even gold to makeup and skincare products for added luxury, efficacy and of course, a healthy dose of marketing cache.
Eco-friendly fashion
Thanks to global warming, wacky weather has brought on a whole new set of style dilemmas -- like what to wear when it's 60 degrees in the middle of winter. Luckily, a host of new, fashion-forward designers are offering up stylish solutions to ensure your closet can help combat environmental issues without looking like you took a trip back to the '60s.
Pamper your feet
Socks are often a neglected part of the wardrobe. Mismatched, holey, shredded -- we don't care, as long as they're there.
Warm scents rule the winter
Crisp fruits and florals were the scents of summer, but now that winter is here, load up on a whole new crop of aromas found in perfumes and lotions. "There has definitely been a trend towards warmer fragrances with musky and woody notes," says Sara Biria, a Sephora Pro Beauty Team Expert. If eau de tree is not your cup of tea, find a woody scent with a good dose of floral notes or choose a perennial winter favorite such as vanilla (of which there are many variations) or cardamom.
Sexy underwear for every budget
Unless you're Britney Spears, underwear is a necessity, whatever the weather. So why not celebrate it with a lil' fashion sense?
Suggestive names sell in beauty
Orgasm, Afterglow, Pleasureflush are you blushing yet? Beauty's hottest brands are getting shoppers hot under the collar with suggestively named beauty bounty, that's for sure.
Pamper your soles
Just because New York streets are callous doesn't mean your tootsies have to be. So before you go prancing around in fabulous, but utterly unsupported footwear, be sure to make up for those eight months of sock hibernation. Here are some tips:
Style -- some have it, some don't
The lead-in to fashion week is as good a time as any to wonder why there's plenty of fashion around -- lots of it bad -- but so little style. At the Golden Globes, for example, most of what was walking down that red carpet wasn't actually very stylish. It was just eye-catching and cost a lot.