Winter Blues

Winter's harsh, cold weather and short, gloomy days often have a negative affect on peoples' moods. Many people, myself included, suffer from a mild case of the winter blues and find themselves missing the summer sun. But I have discovered three ways to help beat these blues until the summer months return:

1. Get as much sunlight as possible. If it's 20 degrees but the sun is shining, it helps to go outside even for 15-20 minutes to take a walk. The sunlight will remind you of summer and immediately boost your mood!

2. Exercise! I know I never feel up to working out in the winter because of the cold weather, but exercising helps you feel healthier and generally in a better mood. It's a great way to keep spirits up during the winter months.

3. Be social. During the winter, I tend to want to stay stuck in my apartment under the covers. However, keeping in touch with friends and continuing to be social helps beat the blues, while having fun!

Lessons From the Devil

With the recent DVD release of the documentary The September Issue, millions of fashionista’s will get to experience what it takes to survive a day in the world of the holy grail of fashion, Vogue.

Director R.J. Cutler got an inside perspective of the life of Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, as he filmed for 8 months along side her team. He was able to witness the creation of the 2007 September Issue, which everyone knows is the equivalent to The Bible in the fashion world. With all the hype surrounding this film, this particular edition became the single largest issue of a magazine that has ever been published.

Now the most important question- what is it like to shadow one of the world's most notorious fashion icons? Cutler reflects on his full-frontal experience and teaches us the lessons of management he learned from Anna herself.

Lesson 1: Keep Meetings Short

“In Anna's world, meetings often start a few minutes before they're scheduled. If you arrive five minutes late, chances are you'll have missed it entirely. It's not by accident that during the final scene of The September Issue, Anna Wintour is in her office alone, waiting for a meeting to begin, and we hear her voice call out, 'Is anyone coming to this run-through except for me?'"

Lesson 2: Trust Your Instincts

“It's quintessential Anna Wintour: knowing what she wants, making clear decisions and moving on. I once asked her about her creative process and she answered with some frustration. 'I can't explain it,' she said, 'I just do it.' To me it was all very telling -- here is someone who knows that her gut instincts have gotten her to where she is, so she listens to them, trusts them and isn't afraid to put them on the line.”

Lesson 3: Surround Yourself With Great Talent

“The lesson is clear -- Anna Wintour knows that you're only as good as the people who work for you, that bad leaders are threatened by strong team members, and that success comes from surrounding yourself with the most talented people you can find.”

And Finally,

Lesson 4: Don't Look Back

“If I had to choose a statement that summarizes Anna's management style, it might come from her own comment at the end of The September Issue, when she says, 'Fashion's not about looking back. It's always about looking forward.'"

So there you have it- Vogue's management philosophy. As Anna put it so bluntly, "Always move forward. Don't dwell on the past. Life is short and there's lots to get done."

NYC Fashion Week may be over but...

Plans for Drexel's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design Fashion Show are just beginning. The show, set for Saturday, June 5th, will take place inside the corporate headquarters of Urban Outfitters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the second year in a row. Last week the D&M Fashion Show Production team visited the venue. Here is a sneak peak at the super cool space.

The show is the largest it's ever been with 42 fashion design students showing collections that feature evening wear, men’s and women’s wear, sportswear and swimwear, children’s wear, lingerie and more. Students presenting their collection compete for industry awards sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Lily Pulitzer, Destination Maternity and Joan Shepp.

There will be two showings, one at 4 pm and another at 8 pm with a reception to follow the latter. Tickets go on sale on April 23rd and are $25 for the 4 PM show and $50 for the 8 PM show (which includes an exclusive gift bag and entrance to the reception that follows). They will be sold in Chapman Court in the lobby of Nesbitt Hall (33rd and Market Streets).

And if you just can't wait, view a video of last year's show here for a taste of what's to come.

Out of the Ordinary Coffee Shops

Recently, I went on a search for adorable coffee shops in Philadelphia. I wanted to dig deeper and find less-well-known shops where one can enjoy a cup while getting a different experience. My goal was to find cozy, cute, and delicious shops. I went on the hunt and came up with several places that fulfilled these desires.

The following are not in any specific order, but were totally lovely and worth sharing..

La Colombe
130 S. 19th Street
Located right off of Rittenhouse Square, this chic, Euro-like spot reminded me of a Parisian coffee shop. The service is great, and the place is always filled with a classy, trendy crowd. The prices are affordable, and the experience is always great. It is one of my favorites!
http://www.lacolombe.com/

Academia del Caffe
4 locations!
2400 Market Street (Inside Design Marketplace)
1616 Market Street
1039 Chestnut Street
1 South Penn Square
This small chain is spreading around the city fast! I have visited 2 of the 4 locations - both have a modern, European feel. They are quiet, cute, and perfect to go and enjoy your coffee for as long as you'd like!
http://academiadelcaffe.com/

Naked Chocolate Cafe
1317 Walnut Street
Good food, deserts, and coffee! Oh, and absolutely adorable..Naked Chocolate is such a perfect date spot as well as a cute spot for coffee/treats with friends. It is a boutique cafe right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. Definitely stop by for a hot chocolate during the winter and don't forget a specialty cupcake on the side ;)
http://www.nakedchocolatecafe.com/


Bonte Coffee & Wafflerie
130 S. 17th Street
One of my favorites! Bonte is so so perfect. Bonte offers cafe-style snacks and sandwiches, coffee, and the BEST Belgian sugar waffles ever. When I go, I take my lap top to do homework and stay for as long as I desire.
http://www.mybonte.com/cafe-entry.php

Higher Grounds
631 N. 3rd Street
Lots of tea, espresso, and coffee. Free internet. This is a unique little coffee shop in Northern Liberties. I love this place because it is perfect for relaxing - the space is so peaceful and perfect to chill or get some work done in a quiet place.
http://www.highergroundscafe.com/

1 Shot Coffee
1040 N. 2nd Street
This cute cafe is ultra comfy with great couches and coffee. They have some neat coffees as well as sandwiches. It is located on Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties - a great place to walk around, shop, get dinner, and then coffee! 1 Shot has a great atmosphere and really cool, laid back people/employees. Definitely check it out if you're in the area.
http://1shotcoffee.com/

These are just a few of the cafes I enjoyed during my search. I will continue to journey around the city and see what else I can find - they are there, you just have to look past the ordinary.

Fashion Week Leaves Bryant Park

Since 1993, or since the current Drexel senior class was in the first grade, Bryant Park has been the home of New York Fashion Week. This past fashion week, which wrapped on Thursday February 18th with a show by Tommy Hilfiger, was the last time that New York Fashion Week will be held there.

Mayor Bloomberg and the CFDA have been searching for a new location for the show for the past two years. Fashion Week has grown from 35 shows to about 70 shows per season. Mayor Bloomberg says that the event has long outgrown the space in Bryant Park and Diane von Furstenberg, CFDA President, says that since they are starting fresh next season, they can do it big.

But the designers and fashion insiders don't seem too be happy about the move. Anna Sui says that what worked about Bryant Park was that her team could walk her clothes over to the venue. Bryant Park's proximity to the fashion district and many of the designers' showrooms made the venue easy.

Some of the fashion industry's leading editors are also only a walk away from Bryant Park, which is conveniently located across the street from the Conde Nast Building, which houses Vogue. The entrance of the tents at 41st and 6th Avenue is covered in quotes by designers and fashion insiders about how Bryant Park made New York fashion relevant in the fashion world. The quote above the door is from none other than Anna Wintour: "Bryant Park became the beacon of what New York fashion stands for - an industry that's tireless, fearless and always moving forward."

It's sad to say that now moving forward involves leaving behind the place that made American fashion week famous.

Love live Bryant Park.

Zac Posen set to be next Go-International designer for Target

Zac Posen’s designs can most often be seen worn on the youngest and hippest starlets on red carpets. But according to Women’s Wear Daily the next place that consumers can see his designs is in a very familiar place, the same store you can buy toothpaste and toilet paper – Target.

Posen is set to be the next designer for Target’s Go-International line, which has become a runaway hit with nearly every designer selling out almost immediately. The international line brings high end designers to a whole new market of customers – women who have dreamed of owning a piece of their runway collections and maybe even some who have never heard of said designer. Some of the past designers were Thakoon, Tracey Feith and most recently, Rodarte.

The Go-International collection will have pieces that run anywhere from $16.99 for a printed tank to $199.99 for a red leather jacket. If you were to shop for Posen's ready-to-wear collection on the other hand, it is available on Net-A-Porter.com. However, the cheapest thing on the menu is a jersey knit dress for $785 and prices climb up to $2,225 for a floor length gown, pictured at left from Net-A-Porter.com

Photo courtesy of Fashionista.com

For the college fashionista, there is no question which of Posen’s two lines fit in with a virtually nonexistent budget. The line for Target is “very Zac” and is full of color and bright prints. It is a great opportunity to stock up on some great summer dresses for an amazing price. And for $69.99 (the price of 2 weeks’ worth of venti lattes at Starbucks) any woman can have their very own floor length Zac Posen summer dress, pictured above.

This collaboration is no doubt going to be one to the top sellers. Merchandise hits stores April 25^th and is scheduled to sell until May 30^th, but don’t be surprised if there isn’t much left on April 30^th!

Resolution's Resolved!

It's that time again. I mean about a month into the New Year. You rang it in with all the best intentions and resolutions about how you were going to make 2010 better than the last. According to USA.gov's list of the TOP New Year's Resolutions, you resolved to:

Drink Less Alcohol

Get a Better Education

Get a Better Job

Get Fit

Lose Weight

Manage Debt

Quit Smoking Now

Reduce Stress at Work

Reduce Stress Overall

Save Money

Take a Trip

Volunteer to Help Others

But here you are, near the end of January, almost 1/12th of the way to 2011 and nothing's changed! You’ve already racked up 2 overdraft charges to your bank account, you’re so stressed that you started biting your nails and that trip… does a TransPass does not count?

No, it does not.

Well what the heck? What’s holding you back? The only answer to that is yourself. Instead of making a lengthy list of resolutions swearing to change your life in one year or less, why not resolve to change all the

“I can'ts” into “Why not’s?!"

With that, you will then dive head first into whatever seems to be getting you down. Bank account looking dim? Not “I can’t” change that. Instead “Why not” clean out your closet and sell what you no longer want to a second hand store? This could kill two birds with one stone. How about stress? “Why not” join a yoga class, bust that stress and get in shape at the same time? Quit smoking? “Why not” drink less alcohol and thus, smoke less. Another two-for-one.

All I’m sayin’ is don’t make resolutions that you know you won’t keep. Break down the issues and realize why they are causing problems in your life. Smaller steps will make making that change seem like less ominous a task. Here’s to a transformation, a better you!

Good luck and don’t sweat the small stuff!