RUE in NYC: Fashion Show + Fashion Showroom

In addition to all of the Rue festivities in New York, I had the privilege of attending a fashion show for New York Fashion Week. When the invitation for Rolando Santana's spring/summer 2011 runway show arrived in my mailbox, I quickly rescheduled my flight to make sure I could attend. After all, it was his cheery yellow dress that got me through two major weddings this summer.

The show was held at Griffin in the Meatpacking District, and I arrived just as the tornado - yes, there was actually a funnel cloud in Brooklyn - was dissipating. I took my seat and waited for the show to start. To my delight, the trendy people in attendance, the herringbone wood floors, and the oversized chandelier (actually made up of many tiny chandeliers) had me snapping pictures long before the show even started.

But what really made the night an over-the-top dream was that I got to wear a dress on loan from Rolando himself! It was waiting for me at my hotel when I arrived in Manhattan that afternoon. It's the Patricia dress from his fall collection. (You probably remember it because I wore it to Kelley Moore's dinner party two nights later. Hey, I couldn't not have the fashion-savvy women in my life see it!) I was so proud to be wearing one of his dresses at his show - I felt like the die-hard Rolando fan that I am! And I am happy to say, I am now the proud owner of that sexy, artistic, and comfortable sleeved mini-dress.

A few days later, in between Rue photo shoots, launch parties, and design conventions, I made time to stop by Rolando's showroom in the Garment District. I was able to chat with him and his assistant about his inspiration and see the spring line up close and personal.

Rolando explained that the spring/summer dresses are inspired by modern architecture, with an emphasis on textural contrast. For this collection, he used a variety of neutral-colored, textured fabrics, playing with light silk burnouts, structured yet soft jacquards, fine delicate cotton fabrics, and soft leathers. Beauty aside, I love his dresses because 1. they are comfortable and 2. they are so practical in that they're the perfect mix of feminine and sophisticated. You can wear them to an afternoon or evening event, with heels or with flats, to work or to a wedding.

Also new for spring/summer 2011 - Rolando Santana necklaces! Chunky and feminine, they make the perfect accent to some of the solid, neutral dresses.

In addition to all the light neutrals, orange is the color of choice for Rolando's resort collection. Oh weird - on the left is another dress of his that I want hanging in my closet. And the khaki safari-inspired jumper on the right is one of his best-sellers. Not sure I could pull of the short shorts, but I see why women would love this - it's simple, comfortable, and chic.

Want to hear the best news? You will soon be able to buy Rolando Santana's dresses online! I will make a grand announcement as soon as that site is up. Until then, you can find a selection of his fall collection and last year's spring collection at Bluefly.

Stylish Blogger, Stylish Studio

You might remember my friend (and stylist) David Dailey. You know... my sister's coworker/Chicago fashion blogger/the night we met we were wearing matching outfits? Yes, well, it just so happens this stylish blogger also has a stylish studio apartment. Shocking, I know.

I had to steal the photos he posted on his blog and share them with all of you. I'm always a bit stumped when it comes to decorating for men, and I was completely inspired by the punches of primary color he used against the otherwise neutral elements. The loud yellows and reds are a great departure from my go-to colors for masculine decor: navy, black, and grey. And the painted door-turned-headboard? Genius.

His studio apartment offers a perfect mix of DIY bargain finds, vibrant colors, and decorative wall accents. Bravo, David! If you've never checked out his witty, fashion-forward blog, The Dailey Dish, hop on over now and check it out. You might even spot yours truly.

Cue Makeover Montage Scene

What's yellow, grey, and sparkly all over? The new LCY!

You may have noticed your favorite blog got a makeover. No no, don't click over to your favorite blog. That's just mean. I am talking about this blog! My sister told me I needed to go bigger and better with my blog header. (Thanks, a lot, sis.) Of course, I liked my previous header. But I can't think of a time in my life when I didn't take my big sister's advice. After all, sisters never lie. So, I thought about what she said... and this is how I responded.

(Cut to readers' eyes darting around the website, taking in the new design. Audible chorus of oohing and aahing follows.)

Thoughts?!

All jokes aside, if you really like what you see, the good news is that I offer my graphic design services at a ridiculously good price! You can buy graphics a la carte or as a package. In addition to custom header designs, other features include a variety of blogger essentials:

Facebook fan page icons/logos

Twitter backgrounds

business cards

(Ask any blogger who was in NYC this week - these are VERY helpful! Networking, people! Rome was not built in a day, and neither is a blog.)

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I also offer logos, buttons, Etsy headers... you name it - Photoshop, Illustrator and I can do it.

The process is as collaborative as you want it to be. Send me a zip file of inspiration images to work from, or tell me your favorite color and I'll run with it.

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I'm not going to lie - makeovers are fun!

You get all sorts of compliments:

CrystalG_: in love with @LCYblog 's new blog design! you can never go wrong with sparkles!


caitlinflemming:
@LCYblog LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new blog design! It's 100000% you!


ECmothdesign: @LCYblog SWEET new look!


apartment_34: Can't wait to see!! @LCYblog @thelovelist @jillsaks @jntinteriors @kelleylmoore


justagirlLaura: @LCYblog I LOVE it! I can't get over the header -- it's fantastic!


ReFreshDesign: @LCYblog Love your new blog look!


samanthadenette: @LCYblog Love the new look! It's so happy and fresh!


nikkirap: Best tweet ever. RT @kelleylmoore: @LCYblog I LOVE SPARKLES.


kelleylmoore: 
@LCYblog I LOVE SPARKLES.


jntinteriors: 


@LCYblog Looks great!


maggieroseblog: 


@LCYblog Ooh love it!

TheLoveList: 


@LCYblog Yellow! SO fresh!


JillSaks: @LCYblog Love the new blog makeover. It is perfect!

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E-mail me for prices!

alaina.lcy@gmail.com

RUE in NYC: Oh What A Night, Rue Magazine Launch Party

Exactly one week ago, on Monday night, Crystal, Caitlin, and I hailed a cab in Midtown and ventured to the New York Design Center at 200 Lex for our very own launch party (Anne was coming from downtown). The Rue Magazine launch party, to be more specific. The night was perfect: the weather, the location, the ambience, the guests, the food, the champagne, the fashion... it was a fairy tale dream.

I kept thinking, "Where am I? This isn't my life... I should be at home with Nate and the puppies, wearing sweats and sipping Diet Coke while I blog and sing Dog Days Are Over."

Alas, I was not at home. I was in New York City. Living. It. Up.

Serendipity perfectly defines last week. It just so happened design bloggers from around the world flew into NYC for the Nate Berkus show - many of whom are ladies I've gotten to know over the past year of blogging. And it was such a delight that so many of them were able to make it to the Rue launch party! We got to meet and laugh in person. Wow. What a crazy concept. Of course, this wonderful event would have never happened without the support and generosity of the NYDC PR team! Thank you a million times over, ladies!

Before I show more pics, we must first discuss the outfit.

The dress I ended up wearing was - pause for shock - rented. Yes. I thought what better time to try out Rent the Runway than for my fabulous NYC launch party? And I cannot say better things about the experience! I recommend it ten times over. After much debate, my very helpful and always fashionable stylist picked out this black one-shoulder from Mark & James by Badgley Mischka. I've been wanting to try a one-shoulder dress for quite some time (mainly since seeing how hot Lea Michele always looks on the red carpet), and the That's So Fringe dress fit the bill of a classic look shaken, not stirred.

My clutch was Tory Burch tortoise shell, and my heels were black suede Louboutin's. Needless to say, I felt fancy-pants.

The Rue Crew: Crystal, me, Anne, Caitlin, Will and Bri. Together at last. And looking quite dapper if I do say so myself.

As soon as I saw the talented and glamorous Rue Mag cover models, Ron Woodson and Jaime Rummerfield, I had to steal a photo with them.

So many bloggers, all in one place. Marianne, Camila, Mackenzie, Crystal and me.

I finally got to meet the talented and sweet Emily Clark! She and her friend made it to the party even though they had just landed in NYC (no joke - their luggage was in the hallway).

Rolando Santana - the fashion designer behind the yellow dress that I wore to both my sister's wedding and Nate's sister's wedding this summer (see profile picture). After seeing that I blogged about him several times, he invited me to his fashion show that was last Thursday (it was amazing - pictures to come!), and then he and his PR team all came to the Rue launch! Yay for supportive people in the design world!

Beautiful bloggers again: Camila, Mackenzie, photographer Jamie Beck, me, Emily and Elizabeth, and Marianne

Adrian (Kelley Moore's assistant), Crystal, Kelley Moore (host of the fabulous dinner party), me, Laure Joliet (photographer), and Cassandra (Coco+Kelley) - I literally cannot choose a favorite dress. Sparkles, vibrant colors, J.Crew, and one-shoulder drama. I loves!

A tale of two Amy's: Amy of ABCD Design and Amy of Shelterpop

The beautiful Century Furniture showroom in the New York Design Center where our party was held.

So you may remember me posting here and here about my admiration for designer Emily Henderson, winner of HGTV's Design Star. Well here I am with Emily Henderson! No big deal. Totally normal. Just your average Monday night. We're pretty much besties.

(um... what??? am I dreaming???)

Suffice to say, it was a great night. Better than we could have hoped. Of course, after several hours of standing on our feet and chit-chatting away, we were tired, thirsty, and most importantly: HUNGRY. So we hopped in a cab and headed downtown to a little place I like to call Heaven (also known as Luke's Lobster).

See how happy I am with my lil' lobster sandwich? Yum.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was night two.

RUE in NYC: Oh What A Night, Dinner with Kelley Moore and Company

Saturday night Caitlin, Anne, Crystal, and I ventured across Soho to attend a dinner party thrown by the talented lifestyle expert, Kelley Moore. Never in a million years could I have anticipated what beautiful surroundings, talented people, and delicious champagne awaited.

Behold the very first photograph taken of all the Rue gals together. After four months of working closely with one another online, we finally all met in person. Things went well to say the least. We laughed. And laughed. Then laughed some more. Well, you'll see...

The night began when we rolled up to the tallest building on the block. Not knowing what floor to buzz, we were able to figure it out once we spotted the elegant candelabras in the window. Always a good sign.

Upon entering the front door, we were greeted by one fabulous hot pink hallway that led to the main living room. There is no denying Kelley knows how to travel in style.

The solid black frames not only made the art more dramatic against the bright wall, but they unified the collage as a cohesive whole.

After countless tweets and emails, I was finally able to meet our lovely, talented, and entertaining hostess, Kelley Moore (left). Seated with her is close friend Cassandra of the wildly popular Coco+Kelley, and Rue's cover girl, Jamie Rummerfield of Woodson and Rummerfield's House of Design in LA.

Rue's Man in the Blue Blazer columnist, Will (also of Bright Bazaar fame) and his boyfriend Toby had just arrived from London. Literally. Got off the plane and came to the party. I was fortunate to be seated next to these gentlemen for the meal and within minutes, I was positively smitten. Their accents, style, manners, and overall genuine personalities reminded me why I love England so much and why I need to go back. Soon.

Glam, glam glam.

I let out a gleeful yelp when I saw the place holders were our own colorful portraits a la famed Andy Warhol paintings. The acrylic frame and pop art made perfect party favors.

While guests mingled and clinked glasses, I grabbed my camera and kept snapping photos. I knew the table setting was one of those things you have to see - no description could do it justice. And believe me when I say it was 50 times more glamorous and magical in person. Kelley had the fashion fabric constructed into a table cloth specifically for this party, and accented with hot pink, navy, and gold items. The antique candelabras that we spotted from outside the building are Kelley's own. Some people pack too many sweaters. Kelley packs tableware.

Kelley's good friend from home flew with her from Seattle and cooked a mouth-watering three-course meal for us. The main course consisted of pressed game hen, roasted beets, and haricot verts drenched a mustard butter sauce. Ohhhhh myyyyyy gaaaaaaaaawd. Best meal I had in NYC. Hands down.

I'm now convinced that when a group of style-savvy ladies get together in NYC, anything is possible.

Remember when I met Crystal earlier this year? Actually, it was just a few months ago! Who would have thought we'd be here now. Neither of us did! Talk about serendipity. (And the power of blogging.)

Seven hours later, we were all pretty much besties. Left to right: Cassandra, Anne, Crystal, Caitlin, me, Erin and Julie.

And as for the Rue team... needless to say after four months, thousands of emails, and one stressful all-nighter, the honeymoon went well.

Walking back to our hotel we spotted the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom and posed to show our appreciation for one of Rue's advertisers!

That, ladies and gentlemen, was night #1.

Guest Post: My Stuff at A Diary of Lovely

My sweet and lovely friend from across the pond, Helena, invited me to participate in her My Stuff Series. How perfect that my guest post coincides with a week when I am out of the blogging loop. So, dear readers, please pop on over to A Diary of Lovely today to check out everything from where I get my design inspiration to what I consider my go-to beauty products and favorite wardrobe pieces.

Normal blogging resumes tomorrow!

Cheers,

A

A Dream Come Rue

Where to begin.

For starters, my art is in a magazine (above). Second, my feature articles are in a magazine. Third, my name is on the masthead of a magazine. What?!?!!? Am I dreaming???

I am sure most of you are aware that Rue Magazine launched last Thursday. It's the reason I have been MIA since Tuesday, and will continue to be again for a few days. I can't help it. I am pretty much living a baller lifestyle in NYC. Fashion shows, photo shoots, dinner parties, launch parties, tv tapings, blogger meet-ups, dinners in Chelsea, shopping in Soho... seriously. Am I dreaming?!?!

I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support. The sweet comments on Facebook, Twitter, your blogs, and our blogs, mean the world to the entire Rue team. We couldn't be here without you.

So in my absence over the next couple of days - which will be followed by a full photographic recap of my week in New York (including cameos by some of your favorite bloggers) - please take the time to flip through Rue. Read the stories. They are funny and interesting. Study the photos. They are beautiful and inspiring. And heck - click through a link and buy yourself a lil' somethin' somethin'! Our advertisers will love you for it.

And here are a few of my favorite images, from the pages of Rue...

And finally, co-creator of Glee, Ian Brennan, proving that all men should wear vests.