Simply Stylist NY 2013

Hey beautiful people! Hope you are all enjoying the week thus far. Wanted to stop by and give you all a recap of this past weekend. We headed to NY to attend Simply Stylist NY 2013, an event where the best curators in the fashion and beauty industry assemble to teach others how to acquire top notch positions in the industry, tell their story, and most importantly network. Simply Stylist was founded by Sarah Boyd, a former PR girl, who wanted to give back by creating an atmosphere where individuals could network and build solid business relationships.

Us with Sarah Boyd, Founder of Simply Stylist

The morning commenced with brunch at the Park Central Hotel, hosted by Hautelook a Nordstrom company. The set up was breathtaking! We sat in a booth enclosed with glass mirrors, adding to the sophistication of the hotel. As we dined, we had the opportunity to hear the story of Elissa Kravetz, a former Steve Madden intern, turned PR girl, who delivered such a powerful message about being fearless and persistent towards achieving her dreams. Not very often do you hear someone acclaim their success to being honest yet kind, within an industry that could be extremely brutal. As someone who used to be bullied, she vowed to take the long route to success, by staying true to her heart, and treating others as she would want to be treated. Consequently, Elissa founded the Farley project where she speaks at schools nationwide against bullying. 

Hautelook Brunch Menu

After brunch, we were blessed with the opportunity to learn from an amazing line up of panelists, moderated by the ever so chic, Cat Sadler of E! News. One of the many highlights was meeting Jay Manuel. Not sure if you know this, but Jay was pursuing a career in music before starting a career in fashion. His story was compelling and truly inspired us to continue to grow as bloggers. 

 With Cat Sadler from E! News (Such a sweet and genuine woman)

 Posing with Jay Manuel

 Us right before Brunchin' it

 Cassandre- Jacket: Bar III by Macys, Shirt and Sweater: F21, Skirt: French Connection, Shoes: Guess, Bag: Philip Lim for Target

Farrah: Jacket: Bar III for Macy's, Dress and bag: Phillip Lim for Target, Boots: Zara

Us with our girlfriend Damali Elliott, founder of Petals-N-Belles

The knowledge we gained from attending Simply Stylist was absolutely priceless! We learned to be relentless and fearless as we continue to reach for our dreams, network like there is no tomorrow, and to stay true to our core by paying kindness forward in all our endeavors. Regardless of how ruthless the environment may be, kindness always pays off!

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XOXO,

Your Haitianstas

Peter Pilotto and Cristopher De VosTarget Collaboration

Hello Readers and fellow bloggers!

How many of you love great fashion deals? Even better how many of you love when your favorite designer creates a line within your budget? Well it was done once by Phillip Lim with target and we must say we were like children in a candy store when Phillip Lim hit Target. Phillip Lim had a WONDERFUL collection and we get to experience this again through Peter Pilotto. Now for those of you who may not know this phenomenal designer let us juggle your fashion minds.

Christopher De Vos (left); Peter Pilotto (right)

Who is Peter Pilotto: He is half Austrian and half Italian. He loves to embrace old and new fashion elegance; And boy does he love textiles and PRINTS which we are all into!  

Who is Christopher De Vos: He is half Belgian and Half Peruvian and focuses his fashion pieces  on silhouettes and drapes. 

This collaboration with target will touch a new audience and allow more individuals to experience Peter Pilotto. The line will be available in most target stores in the U.S. and Canada as well as on Target.com on FEBRUARY 9TH, 2014. Save the date because you do not want to miss out of these staple fashion items!  The line has an assortment of approximately 70 items ranging from $16.99 to $39.99 for accessories and $14.99 to $79.99 for apparel and swimwear (can we say AWESOME). 

So SAVE THE DATE to ENDULGE on FEBRUARY9TH, 2014

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XOXO,

Your Haitianstas

 

September Issue: NYFW Pt. 2

While attending NYFW my schedule was really tight, so I had to be sure to keep up with the New York pace of things. I attended three designers' shows for Summer/Spring 2014, Jenny Parham, Alhassan Toure, and Shateria Moragne-el.

My favorite show would definitely have to be the Toure "Coming to America" show. His idea of fusing modern American style with bold African prints/structure was absolutely genius. To start off, two men rocked on the runway playing drums, paying hommage to the designers' African roots. The inclusion of leather, spikes, and bright colors throughout the line, gave it a fresh look. To top it off, the models' hair styles were funky and eccentric, adding an urban twist to the collection. I commend Mr. Toure for such a genius collection in which anyone could make their own.

One show I was bummed at myself for missing was Rachel Zoe. My cab driver tried his best to get me to Lincoln Center on time, and after being spared from the roller coaster ride of getting there (Thank God!) I missed check-in by a less than a minute! So after I called my girlfriend Damali for moral support, and got through having a fit in a corner by myself (meanwhile keeping my cool on the outside), I shook it off and got to mingling. And as fate would have it, I met some phenomenal people whom I would not have met had it been otherwise. Amongst those I met was Robert Verdi, who actually stopped me to take a pic of my ears. I also met renowned bloggers Joy Adaeze from Joylovesfashion and Necole from Necole Bitchie, both of whom were sweet and kind enough to give me sound advice as an up and coming blogger. Ms. Jay of course, needs no introduction, he or should I say she(?) did not waste a minute to pose for this pic. True fashionsta indeed!

Finding time to eat a hearty meal was vital during NYFW. Running from one event to the next could run you of all your energy. I fell in love with a restaurant right across from Lincoln Center called "The Smith". A host from one of the company's sponsoring fashion week was gracious enough to recommend it to me. Needless to say, I fell in love with the food, so much so that I went two days in a row. The photo on the left is of the insanely delicious mac n cheese and deviled eggs. Clearly I was unaware of the large portions served and only ate a third of my meal (the leftovers were righteous though). On the second day, which was my birthday, I dined with a friend named Cue from Chi-town. This time I had chicken and honey glazed potato waffles, which were a pure delight! I love to eat so this was heaven for me! To top it off I indulged myself in one of their desserts called the "S'more in a jar". My only justification for pushing the limit was that I was the birthday girl.

An exciting moment during my experience at NYFW was getting interviewed by different journalists from major publications, including Vogue (OMG!!). Although it was flattering, it was also a very humbling experience. Click here to watch an Interview that Cue and I did for the Pittsburg post on street style (watch the clip on 'tips for good streetstyle..').

I never thought I would say this, but when it was all said and done I was so ready to get back home to Boston! Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every bit of my time during NYFW, but there truly is no place like home. 'Til next time beauties!!

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XOXO,

Your Haitianstas