The Vagabond Who Stole My Words (with style, of course)

Hi all,

Thank you all for reading! As you may have noticed, I haven't had any new posts for quite a while. Since I made the move to NYC, in fact.

That is because in addition to my internship at the St. John Knits showroom, I worked as a fashion publicist for Scallywag and Vagabond, a thought-provoking, socially-savvy online-based magazine. As a fashion publicist, I was thrown right into the mix of the hectic-crazy-insanity that we in NYC like to call fashion week.

Anyway, point of the information conveyed above: All my time, effort and (small amount of) writing talent has been (happily) dedicated to Scallywag and Vagabond. With Scallywag and Vagabond, I interviewed Charlize Theron, covered fashion shows, black-tie balls, art gallery openings, photography exhibits, and of course, your regular every-night parties.

Feel free to check out Scallywag and Vagabond and search for my articles... but a word to the wise... NYC brews quite a strong and steamy cup of tea, sip to quick and you'll be burned... so be sure to stir your tea slowly and read Scallywag and Vagabond at your own risk ;)

www.scallywagandvagabond.com

The Right Side of the Velvet Rope

So since my arrival in New York City 43 days ago, I've stayed in for a grand total of 3 nights.

If you love going out, NYC is the place to do it! The city really never sleeps; clubs and bars stay open until 4:00 a.m. and the best parties really don't get started till 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m. Dinners start at 10:00 p.m. and if you get to a club at 11:00 p.m., you're far too early.

The city offers something for everyone. Come to NYC and I guarantee you'll never be bored. You can eat an incredible dinner, go on a gondola ride through central park, watch the sun set over the Hudson from a rooftop bar, have exotic drinks at a random dive bar, sing karaoke, attend a slam poetry session, see a live band play, dance your heart out at the latest "hot-spot" club and party with celebrities, all in one night! How can I promise this? Simple: I've done it!

The city of New York is an incredible and eclectic place. If you know the right spots, you'll be sure to meet a wide array of unique individuals who will greatly enhance and expand your world of interests. Also, come to NYC and you will never be bored again. If you're doing it right, you'll be so busy having after-work cocktails during happy hour, grabbing power lunches with friends, going on dinner dates, attending pre-parties, going to clubs, exploring dive bars, attending after-parties, and jet-setting to the Hamptons for weekend adventures that you won't have a second to catch your breath, let alone even think about boredom!

In the next few posts I'll write personal reviews of the all the venues I've been to, post links to other good reviews I've read, share some helpful tips as to how to schmooze your way past long lines and give ya'll a guide to New York City to ensure that when you come here, you'll be living it up the right way!


keep it classy
xo
alissa

Michelle Obama said it Best

First Lady Michelle Obama became the "honorary patron"for the 10th anniversary of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards. At the event, Obama stunned the audience with not only her style, but with her wise words.

While dressed in a spectacular bold yellow Michael Kors skirtsuit paired with lizard-skin pumps, Obama said, “What I love about design is the artistic and scientific complexity that becomes useful — a laptop, a bridge, an outfit — all drawn from a thousand wells of inspiration yet grounded in the basic principles of math and science."

I simply wanted to share this quote, which I saw in today's issue of WWD, with you all. For those of you who have read my blog for a while now, you are well aware that I view fashion as more than just clothing. The quote above encompasses how I feel about fashion and why I love it. I thought Michelle Obama's words were inspiring and wanted to pass this little piece of inspiration to you all.


keep it classy
xo
alissa

A New Look in a New City!

So there are only a handful of people in the entire world that I fully and whole-heartedly trust with my hair. And lucky for me, these people can be found at an adorable salon in NYC!

When I was 14, the first form of modeling I had ever done was actually for a hair show. (For more info about hair shows or to learn how to get involved with them, please read my previous post!) For 14 years, I had the exact same hair cut: long light brown hair, no highlights, no bangs, no style. This all changed when I walked into a casting for a show with Nick Arrojo.

Nick Arrojo and his team are to the hairstyling industry what the great European couture houses are to the fashion industry. They are the industry leaders, the trend-setters, the masters.

For that first show so many years back, Nick cut my hair into a short, cute, fashion-forward bob. The head colorist for the Arrojo team, James, added some red and gold tones. Since then, my hair has been a mix of wild styles matched with some vibrant colors, from all ends of the color spectrum.

All colors except blonde, that is. So naturally, since I am in a new city, I decided I need a new look! After just five days of being in the city, I walked into the Arrojo studio and walked out as a blonde.

For those of you who want a change, I urge you to also walk into the Arrojo studio. The stylists are innovative, friendly and full of personality. In fact, due to the energy exuded by the stylists, the salon itself seems to be bustling with a special kind of creative energy.

In the world of hairstyling, Nick Arrojo (photographed below) is a celebrity. He transforms women's looks weekly on the TLC's hit show, What Not to Wear, taught the art of hair coloring to Queer Eye's Kyan Douglas, and has a clientèle list that includes celebrities.

Lina (photographed above) is a master stylist on the Arrojo team. She cut my hair six months ago with the New Shag, an innovative cut that the Arrojo studio developed. The cut was done so well that even six months later, it looks great! In addition to working as part of the Arrojo team, Lina styles for high fashion runway shows, celebrities at the Sundance Film Festival and has been named as a top NYC hair stylist by Allure Magazine. Her fashion knowledge, combined with her warm personality, make her a great person to go to when seeking advice for a new look.

The Arrojo team will always have a place in my heart. They have transformed my look twice, once so many years ago when I was 14 with a boring hairstyle, and now when I wanted to venture into being a blonde. I hold the team in the highest regard and them my best recommendation!

To read Lina's feature in Allure, click on the following link: http://www.allure.com/directory/new_york_city/hair/cuts


keep it classy
xo
alissa

A Little Secret Revealed

For those of you who know me, you know that I embrace change and like to shake things up every now and then. This attitude, along with an inborn drive to stand out from the crowd, has led me to change my hair cut/color about once a month for the past few years.

If you are like me and love to spice up your look often, but don't like the toll it takes on your wallet, I'll share a little model secret with ya: hair shows.

The hairstyling industry is an interesting and unique one: each year top stylists develop new looks and set the trends in hair. Much like fashion, after the top stylists showcase their new looks, a new hairstyle trend develops that is based on the creations of the masters.

In order to showcase these new looks, the top hairstylists need models. Doing a show like this is not only fun, but you walk away with a whole new fashion-forward look that could cost up to $600+ in a nice salon. The only catch: you can't have any reservations with your hair & have to be open to everything and anything!

If you aren't looking for a drastic change but are looking to freshen up your look, I would recommend doing a demonstration seminar. Many of the top salons often hold small demonstration seminars where they cut or color a model's hair in front of an audience. These shows are more casual and the model can set some boundaries about what can and cannot be done. Most of the top salons hold a show like this about once or twice a month, doing one is a great way to save some money and spice up your look a little!

If you are interested in this, look up professional salons that hold seminars in your area! My recommendations: Arrojo, Wella, Sebastian, Vidal Sassoon, The Studio


keep it classy
xo
alissa

The Front Row

So for those of you who were unable to attend the fabulous European couture weeks that took place these past few weeks, pour yourselves a glass of nice champagne, forget your work worries and relax while I take you on a front-row adventure ;)

As the great couture houses showcased their Fall 2009 collections, the past few weeks in Europe have been bustling with beautiful models, trend-setting fashionistas, front-row starlets, and of course, the designers themselves.

Because there are so so many designers to cover and no words can really describe true fashion, in this post, I'll simply let the fashion speak for itself.

My favorite looks from a few of my favorite collections:

Armani:


Jean Paul Gaultier:


Prada:
Miu Miu:

Valentino:


Givenchy:


Lanvin:
Christian Lacroix:

Chanel:
Dior:

keep it classy
xo
alissa

To my Wonderful Blog-Readers:

My deepest apologies for not having any new posts for the past few days.

I have been crazy-busy packing for NYC && since my arrival in the big city, I haven't even had a moment to catch my breath, let alone catch up with the virtual world.

Unfortunately, I'm on my way out as I write this, so this post will be short & sweet, I basically just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm devoting my entire Saturday morning/afternoon to this blog! So look for many, many new posts soon!

For those of you who may have missed the WWD articles covering the recent European fashion shows, I'll give you some highlights. In addition, I'll write a bit about what its like to work in a high-fashion showroom on 5th avenue, how to look business-style sexy chic on a low budget, and I'll write a bit about some cool places I've been so far.

So please, check back soon!

Till then, keep it classy! ;)

xo

alissa

My Artistic Love Affair

After waking up much too early in the morning from a sleepless night spent tossing and turning, I have come to the conclusion that art is all I need.

Art has the ability to make you see the beauty in the world when you feel like there may be none left. Art has the ability to speak the absolute truth, without whispering a word. Art has the ability to evoke emotions that you never thought you were able to feel.

To me, art is passion, spice, and true love. Art embodies a love that will never go un-requited, a love that will never cause pain, a love that has stood the test of time. Art is like the perfect man; one who can be exciting and spontaneous while at the same time be calm and comforting, one who has grace, strength and eloquence, one who is always there for you, and one who can make you feel beautiful.

Like all affairs, I have a love-hate relationship with art. Some art fills me with such joy, that it makes my head spin and I instantly swoon. Some fills me with confusion, sorrow or anger. Still other art, no matter how hard it tries, just simply doesn't catch my eye and I lose all interest and instantly start scanning the room for a better piece to spend my time with.

Because I currently need a little cheer to brighten my day, I'll focus only on my all-time artistic love: Impressionism.

The Sex and the City fans out there will understand this: Impressionism is my "Mr. Big." Impressionism is ever-suave, romantic, and breaks all of the rules. I'll admit it, I'm totally, undeniably and deliriously head-over-heels for this daring "Mr. Big" of mine.

You see, in the 1860's, the early impressionists were the bad-boys of the art world. They broke all the rules of academic painting. They painted realistic scenes of modern life en plein air rather than in a studio. They used short, bold strokes that captured the essence of the subjects rather than the details, giving the paintings a romantic, dream-like feel.

These paintings are some of my favorites:

Claude Monet, The Artist's Garden at Argenteuil. 1873

The painting above is my absolute dream house. The painting below is my dream garden (sunflowers are my favorites!)

Claude Monet, Garden at Vetheuil. 1881

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Promenade. 1882

James Tissot, The Bridesmaid. 1883-85

James Tissot, The Reception. 1883

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Dance in the City. 1882

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Luncheon. 1881

James Tissot, Jeune Femme en Bateau. 1870.

Camille Pissarro, Boulevard Montmartre. 1897

For those of you non art-obsessed folk, I urge you to also spark a love affair with art. Next time the world brings you down, take a day off from work, forget your mundane everyday responsibilities, and take yourself on a date to an art museum. Wander the halls and let the legendary images whisper their legacies and lend some inspiration to you.





keep it classy
xo
alissa

Remembering a King

Michael Jackson was best known as the "King of Pop," however, he was much more than that. Michael Jackson was the king of dance. Michael Jackson was the king of style. Michael Jackson was the king of "cool," and his death marks the end of an era.

Michael Jackson always stood out from other artists not only because of his talent, but because of his cutting-edge style. When remembering his life and career, one cannot help but be in awe of his fashion-forward outfits.

Looking through photos from Jackson's career, one can clearly see that Jackson was always in the forefront of the fashion scene. His style shows more than just his creativity, it shows that he was not afraid to stand out. It shows that Jackson was not afraid to express himself freely. It shows that he was not afraid to take a stand and be different, and this is something that we can all admire.

You see... to me, fashion is more than just what we wear. Fashion is a statement of who we are, what we believe in. Fashion is art, an art that we personally parade on the streets on a daily basis. Michael Jackson's fashion is one that we can pay homage to and emulate, not just because of the clothes, but because of the individuality and uniqueness that the clothes represent.

Although often outrageous, Jackson made his style undeniably his own. His outfits inspired the eras during which he lived, and will continue to inspire leaders in the fashion scene for years to come.

As a child star, Michael Jackson owned the "bell-bottoms and an afro" look and was one of the key influencers in driving this style into an international trend.


In the 1970's, Jackson continued the bell-bottom look, but spiced it up with fringed shirts and platform shoes. His creative combination quickly caught on and became the staple outfit for the 70's. To pay homage to this look and borrow a bit Jackson's creativity today, try loose-fitting shirts paired with a suede vest.


Jackson's debut as an adult artist with the album "Off the Wall" brought a sleeker look to the scene. Remembering Jackson in this era brings sights of tuxedo jackets, pegged pants, black shoes and stark white socks to mind. Ever suave, this look exemplified Jackson's confidence. To add a retro Michael Jackson twist to your wardrobe, try a black suit with a slightly-unbuttoned collared white shirt. Top it off with shiny black shoes and a fedora hat and you're set.


Although he was in the forefront of the fashion scene his whole life, Michael Jackson's style is best remembered with the debut of "Thriller." This album took fashion to a new level. His signature red leather jacket with its zippered details, tight black parachute pants, mirrored aviator sunglasses, and of course, signature white sequined glove, encompassed the spirit of the 80's. To echo this look today, sport aviators with a custom-fit leather jacket.



By paying homage to Michael Jackson's style, we ensure that his vibrant spirit will never be forgotten.




xo
alissa

Honoring Farrah Fawcett: An Icon and Inspiration

Today, the world lost one of its leading ladies, Farrah Fawcett.


Farrah was not only an accomplished actress, she was an icon. Her legendary looks, paired with her bright personality, inspired millions. She was a true trend-setter, her hairstyle alone became an international sensation. A "Farrah Do" was the staple across cultures for years.

Farrah's photos and films will remain a timeless inspiration for artists and women worldwide. With her talent, gorgeous smile and boisterous hair, Farrah influenced a decade of fashion and will never forgotten.






The world will miss Farrah's grace on screen and dynamic photos as we grieve the loss of a legend.


xo
alissa

Tatyana Peter: Classic Style with a Modern Twist

It all started with a dream. A dream conceived miles away in a small town by Mount Elbrus in the region of Caucasus and realized in America. A dream to create couture for the everyday woman. A dream inspired by the women for whom the dresses are designed. A dream to have an international high fashion forum in Los Angeles.

With devotion, hard work and fashionable flair, Tatyana Peter has made this dream a reality. In business since she was born, Tatyana’s whole life has been dedicated to fashion.Her affinity for elegant, classic yet cutting-edge style has carried her designs across international borders, into royal castles, on red carpets, to presidential inaugurations, to the Emmys, the Oscars, onto television shows, and into the movies.

Designer Tatyana Peter with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

With First Lady of California Marie Shriver

With Actor Rob Lowe

With Windy Bunch and Christine Devine

With Donaldo Monroy and legendary author Geraldine Saunders

Tatyana has two enchanting boutiques, located in Beverly Hills and Huntington Beach. Although the boutiques are beautiful, what really makes them special are the countless elegant, innovative, leading-edge dresses which line the walls.

Tatyana designs her dresses with passion and care. She pairs original looks and creative cuts with high-quality fabric and seamless stitching. Always keeping a lady-like form in mind, she creates her dresses to flatter femininity. Tatyana believes that “every woman deserves her princess night” and designs spectacular dresses to bring out the royalty in us all.

When she is not designing dresses for the everyday woman, Tatyana is designing for real royalty. As Princess Lilly Lawrence’s personal designer, Tatyana adds vivacious style to Princess Lilly’s royal wardrobe.

Tatyana Peter with Princess Lilly Lawrence

Tatyana’s line is a favorite among actresses, signers, dancers, producers, politicians and celebrities. She is the costume designer for the upcoming film, “The Innocent Love of a Butterfly.” Director Phillip Durand said, “Tatyana’s designs are so feminine, so sensual and so creative that they make an artist dream. Her costumes bring grace and elegance to the screen.”

Writer, director and actor Philippe Durand and leading actress Monica Serene Garnich in Tatyana Peter Couture

Monica Serene Garnich in another couture costume gown for the film

According to Monica Serene Garnich, the leading actress in Durand’s film, Tatyana Peter’s designs are “classy, spirited and vibrant. Her designs fit great and make you feel beautiful.” Garnich says that Tatyana Peter’s elaborate designs helped set the scene and put the ‘magic’ in on-screen magical moments.

Monica Serene Garnich in Tatyana Peter Couture

Tatyana Peter personally hand-makes each gown. Women across southern California come to Tatyana Peter to get their dream dress made. A typical visit to Tatyana Peter’s boutique includes a personalized styling session, where the dress is designed, followed by a fitting. After just three to four more visits, Tatyana Peter’s clients go home with a personalized couture gown.

Tatyana Peter Couture fashion show at Princess Lilly Lawrence's famous Castle Kashan in Malibu:

For information on how to purchase an original, specially-fitted, or ready-to-wear piece from Tatyana Peter Couture, please e-mail me for more information at alissalentz@gmail.com.

Also, to get a behind-the-scenes sneak peak at the fashion show photos featured above, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIL5eGqN8sE

If you want to see more behind-the-scenes action, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arTSIAp9Amo

And: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arTSIAp9Amo

And: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmxzn6hg9Nw


keep it classy
xo
alissa