SCOOP NYC Releases Exclusive New Balance 400

New Balance has made a huge comeback recently in European street style, and has quickly become adopted across the pond to the US. The mix match of color combinations leaves your creativity to grow to endless bounds; especially in the color-blocking age we live in. SCOOP NYC will be releasing an exclusive pair of New Balance 400s, previously available only in the UK, on February 2 in their boutiques nationwide. The performance sneaker, in a bold yellow colorway, will be sure to add a pop of color to your look!

As a promotion to celebrate the new release, our friends at SCOOP NYC has a sweepstakes, open NOW, that could bring you closer to owning a pair of these New Balance 400s for free!  To enter, "like" the SCOOP NYC facebook page, and enter your contact information as directed.  Sweepstakes end Feb 1, so enter soon!  Good luck! I know I'll be entering!

Get Up Stand Up! Daryl K Occupies Wall Street

We love the marriage of fashion and political awareness on Avenue Swank, and here is the perfect example of when the too combines for a fashion-forward,.  Daryl Kerrigan, designer of the uber chic brand Daryl K showed her support of the cause by occupying wall street with the thousands of others in New York's Zucotti Park.

An excerpt of Daryl K's reflection, which can be found in full on her blog by clicking here:

"The energy and support for the protesters in Zucotti Park is inspiring and any of us who support the movement ought to be grateful to those who are spending their days and nights, sleeping on the cold hard ground to fight for what it means to be an American and a believer in the Constitution."

If you're in the New York area, take a walk by Zucotti Park, and then head to 21 Bond Street and check out Daryl K's sale event! 20-30% off select pieces from the Fall Collection, and part of the proceeds will go towards Occupy Wall Street organizers. Tell them Avenue Swank sent you!

How to Tailor Your Look: Modasuite Online

Fit is very important for perfecting your look; no matter how conservative or daring your sense of style, having the correct fit will always make your personal look stand out.  Sometimes, you don't have the time or money to walk into a tailor shop and have suiting made specifically for your body, but their are options available that help you virtually get your own made-to-measure experience quickly and efficiently.  Modasuite, founded in 2009 and based in Montreal, has become that online experience that helps men understand their style, and their style with pieces that can be customized to their dimensions. 

With Modasuite, you can be as custom or as standard as you like.  Pieces, ranging from simple tee shirts, to formal tuxedos are available, and can be chosen from the comfort of your own home.   For those of you who are lucky enough to have the body type that fits standard sizes, I challenge you to try buying according to your true measurements and see if you notice a difference.

What I find most interesting about the site, is the closet feature, which is customized to the individual account.  After a series of interesting questions, assessing your style icon (Brad Pitt vs. Kanye is a pretty interesting one), and even what designers you most identify with when it comes to purchasing clothes, handpicked selection of looks are put into your very own personal closet.  This closet changes every two weeks, allowing you a focused variety of looks and options that are targeted to your preferences.

These looks were recently in my closet, and I have to say that they were accurate in what they chose.  I chose Kanye as my style icon, Zegna as my designer, and Classic as my overall style.  I have been looking for burgundy chinos, and I am so excited to have them in my virtual closet!  Now I need to get them into my physical closet.

Westmore Jacket - Navy

Azzuri Shirt - Navy Gingham

 

Clifford Chino - Burgundy

Modasuite can be accessed at http://www.modasuite.com/.  Visit the site and start your profile today!  Also, be on the lookout for something special from Avenue Swank and Modasuite.. you may be closer to a Modasuite experience than you think!

Scoop NYC Launches Daryl K and Richard Chai for Original Penguin

Scoop NYC celebrated the launch of two new collections on Thursday; launching the Richard Chai for Original Penguin men's Collection, and the Daryl K Fall 2011 Women's Collection.  The dual events, held in both the Men's and Women's stores in the meatpacking district, featured drinks, music, and a well curated selection of looks from both collections.  Scoop, now expanding to its new store in Boston, continues to be a one-stop destination for buying premier designer pieces, but with style as the main focus.  Known for merchandising wearable pieces with a high caliber of style and luxury, its no surprise that the retailer would choose to add both collections by Daryl K and Richard Chai for Original Penguin.
Daryl K

The Daryl K Fall 2011 Collection is all about autumnal inspiration, mixing deep fall colors, with pops of red and coral, and of course the irresistible necessity of black.  Daryl  Kerrigan, now celebrating her 20th anniversary, brought her Fall 2011 Collection to Scoop NYC, including the popular leather pants that have become a popular staple for Daryl K.  Since 2000, after discovering stretch leather used on boots would make a great pair of pants, her leather pants are "becoming part of another vocabulary of fashion," says the designer.  To celebrate the launch, Figenza vodka mixed libations and the music was provided by Spencer Sweeney.  Sweeney, artist and co-owner of Santos Party House also contributed the artwork used on the prints for Daryl K's Spring 2012 Collection.

Richard Chai for Original Penguin

Richard Chai has been growing his place in the menswear arena for a few seasons, and his 40 piece Fall 2011 Collection was well received, becoming a great addition to Chai's menswear aesthetic.  The collection was a perfect match for Richard Chai and Original Penguin; classic menswear with modern cuts and fit - which is the bare essence of both brands.  The pieces at Scoop were perfect for the Autumn and holiday season, with deep colors and prints that put you in a Fall/Winter spirit.  A must-have item from the collection is blue plaid cords that were a popular piece at the launch party.  Matching the cords with a simple white dress shirt, or adding more dimension with the plaid shawl collar cardigan make a perfect look for a casual day or night.

Both collections are a must see!  Check it out in stores, or online at http://www.scoopnyc.com/.

Drake's Sweater for VMA's: Get the Look

photo: MTV/Getty Images

Drake's sweater got alot of publicity last night during the MTV Video Music Awards.  Most of it being a huge "dislike" button if there was one for facebook or twitter; however, when the Missoni for Target line gets here, I am sure this cardigan will be sold out in minutes!  Very similar to the cardigan worn by Drake, except in a brown colorway.  If this was the last piece of the iconic collection at Target, trust it will be picked up and worn by many of those who tweeted in disgust at Drake last night.

To see more from the Missoni for Target Collection, click here

Zara Fall 2011 Lookbook Favorites

Here are my top looks from the new Fall 2011 Menswear and Womenswear Collection for Zara. 

Thakoon Saves Lives One Scarf at a Time

photos: www.thakoon.com

In an effort to bring awareness and relief to those enduring hardships in the horn of Africa, Thakoon is selling scarves in the popular Masaid Plaid pattern, in which proceeds will goi to an nternational children's relief organization providing services to to those suffering in Ethiopia, Somolia, Djibouti, and Kenya.  The scarves can be purchased on http://www.thakoon.com/ for $250. 

Missoni for Target Sneak Peek (Photos and Link)

The Missoni line for Target is quickly approaching, as the complete line of 400 pieces will be available Spetember 13.  The line will have looks for women, men, children, and babies, with a rather interesting accessories line featuring luggage, home goods and even a bicycle!  To see more photos from the sneak peek, check out All the Way up There

My Bougie Baby Launches in DC

With Summer quickly approaching its end, time to start planning back-to-school shopping.  Let this season be the time to give your favorite girls the chance to express themselves visually through style. My Bougie Baby is a fun, fashion-forward brand catered to outfitting young girls in looks that are chic, on trend, and age appropriate.

The coolest part about My Bougie Baby is that the clothing looks like mini versions of womenswear, but it doesn’t make little girls appear too mature for their age. It does a very clever job in keeping kids just that – kids – while allowing them to match the style and fashion sense of their mothers and other fashionistas alike. The brand, founded by Wendy Pittman, had a soft launch in May which was a major success, followed by another official launch in June at KAS Collective at the National Harbor in Maryland. The Launches were exciting, vibrant and full of pink; perfect for “chic little darlings.”

               

     

The clothes were modeled by the cutest of DC’s young ladies, and featured cupcakes by Unforgettable Cupcakes and the exquisite fare of Chef Mitchell.

The collection will soon be launched online at www.mybougiebaby.com, so be sure to check it out! Stay tuned for more news and info about this exciting brand hitting the DC metro area!

Don't Raise Your Debt Ceiling - Full Interchangeable Looks for Men

Obama's press conference this afternoon was all about the economy, Libya, and the issue of America's fear of default.  Both sides are fighting on whether to raise the debt ceiling for the country, but you may need to make this decision for your own closet.  Here are two complete looks that are under $200 and are totally interchangeable, ready to be a staple or accessory to any look in your wardrobe.

Ease your mind on a warm sunny day with this look by Uniqlo.  Matching navy shorts with a lightweight madras shortsleeve shirt is weather-appropriate, where the white jacket adds another level of sophisitication to the look.  Roll the sleeves up if it gets too hot, and pair the look with a slick pair of penny loafers.

- Unqlo +J White Cotton Jacket  $149
- Uniqlo Cotton  Linen Madras Check S/Slv Shirt $25
- Uniqlo Chino Half Pants $25

Bring the water to you with a easygoing look by Nautica.  Pairing a light sweater (again, roll up the sleeves) with a muted short will turn the heat upside down, where the canvas shoes and belt add a classic summer touch.

- Nautica Engineered Stripe V-Neck Sweater $50
- Nautica Flat Front Twill Short $35 (on sale now online for $28!!!)
- Nautica Reversible Leather and Canvas Belt $36
- Nautica Delmar Canvas Ankle Boot $50

Wear Your Peace: Peace Cord Bracelets Support Afghan Communities

There are many ways to show support for world peace; you can start a non-profit, become a philanthropist, or run for Miss America.  The easiest and most fashoinable way is to wear your support for peace.  The rubber bands can be clever, but for a more luxurious versitile option, Peace Cord has developed a series of bracelets that are sure to spread fashion for a cause.

Peace Cord is a bracelet hand woven by women in Afghanistan from authentic parachute cords and fatigue and dress uniform buttons from U.S. armed forces uniforms.  Proceeds from the sale of Peace Cord support both AZRU and Spirit of America through programs that empower women to lift their families out of poverty and humanitarian projects that rebuild the war-torn country.

The cords, hand woven by women in Afghanistan, come in different styles and colors, being the perfect accesory for any occasion.  The best part of the bands is that they are not gender-specific.  My favorite band is the Navy Dress Bracelet; woven in green with the gold Navy seal button.  I wear it with everything, but it looks best when paired with a casual shirt with rolled-up sleeves. 

For you Glee lovers, Jane Lynch has been seen wearing a Peace Cord bracelet..she's amazing...so clearly this is a trend thats worth following!

The bracelets are available online at http://www.peacecord.org/ and range from $10-$20.  

QTips: Picking the Right Shoe to Match Yellow

It's safe to say that Spring is officially here and Summer is appraching full speed. May not take a rocket scientist to know this now, but due to the cold, wind and rain, it may take more that a meteorologist to figure this out in 2011. No matter who tells you, go on and believe that the pastels and bold colors of warm weather are now permissable to wear. Yellow will be one of the main colors of Spring and Summer, and though the color is in high supply and demand, finding the right shoe may be difficult.



TREND ALERT!  Leather bows are HOT HOT HOT!  Get familiar!


1. Go Nude! Nude is the absolute best option for yellow, and essentially the hottest color of the season. If you go nude, do it with a pump; nude sandals are OK but not as sleak and effective, unless its a wedge. (QTip: A nude shoe can be kind of boring; so try to go with a metallic heel, or even a stacked heel with character, like the Fendi FF Superstar Patent Pump pictured above)

2. Put a Cork in It! Cork, like nude, is super neutral and perfect for warm weather. The best part, is that cork supports the airy, light shapes of sandals, so if you want your foot exposed, go with an espadrille or a corked heel sandal.  (QTip: Make sure the shoe's upper is metallic or in the nude/flesh family)

3. Go White! Memorial Day is noly a few days away, so you're close enough! A nice classic pair of white leather loafers would look great with some yellow pants for a weekend nautical look.

4. Heavy Metal - Metallic shoes will offer shine to yellow as well as mute the brightness of the hue.

5. Walk on the Wild Side! Animal print adds spice and acts as a neutral when paired against any hue of yellow. (Tip, if you go with a leopard print, make sure the shoe has some gold hardware, such as the buckle on the Tory Burch Celina Pumps pictured above)

All shoes pictured are available at Saks!