Thursday, March 24, 2011

'Fashion Box'

Monday afternoon, I locked myself out of my apartment.  So I wondered up to 86th and Lexington to my local Barnes & Noble.  To kill some time I decided to sit down take a look at what the mega book retailer had to offer when it comes to fashion.

I came across a book called 'Fashion Box' by Antonio Mancinelli.

This book is broken down into chapters in which he describes each staple or iconic piece that he believes every woman should have in their closet. 


The chapters are:
The Little Black Dress
White shirt
Jeans
Suit
Bikini
Turtleneck
Hot pants
Pencil skirt
T-shirt
Trench
Mini skirt
Twinsets
Androgynous look
Corset
Capri pants
Sheath dress

Now while I agree most of these are must-haves for your closet, my opinion does differ from Mr. Marcinelli on a few of these. So here we go!

The Little Black Dress
Always a must have! I cannot stress that enough. (However, I currently do not have one) When choosing a LBD, make sure to pick one with no patterns and that has a simple/ classic neck line.



White Shirt
One of my favorites! I own a men's tuxedo shirt! JCrew makes great ones! Cut the collar off; wear it with skinny black pants, a large cuff bracelet, big earrings, and high heels! Best classic look one can ever wear!



Jeans
Please do not go too blue, you end up looking cheap. Dark is always better! Never go too tight or too loose

Suit
Classic colors or Chanel (at least inspired Chanel) is the way to go. I personally do not care for pinstripes on women. The legs should be slim never fair, and pay attention the length, because if your pants are dragging on the ground, you will look sloppy.


Bikini
Just be under the age of 40 and not fat!

Turtleneck
Black turtle neck, skinny jeans, black pumps, large earrings= a stunning look! A men's cashmere turtleneck over slim pants with either heels or boots also a great look. (One can be creative with the man in their lives closet, but please do not over do it)

Hot Pants
Next!

Pencil Skirt
YES!! Again, no need to go really tight, you'll look like a duck walking around. Love big funky patterns on pencil skirts! So sexy! (If you cannot wear pencils skirt, simple A-line skirts are great too!) Keep the length right around the knee, and give your legs some length with heels.


T-shirt
We all love a good t-shirt, but not every day please!

Trench
Of course! Who does not have a trench, especially in NYC?  It does not have to be khaki; my trench is white from Lilly Pulitzer. Pop the collar and you will feel like the glamour queen that you really are!


Mini Skirt
Absolutely!!! But, please keep it age appropriate.


Twinset
Classic cardigan with shell underneath! Best in cashmere, but cotton or merino wool will do just fine. Looks great with a pencil skirt, pearls and hairspray!


Androgynous Look
NO! NO! NO!  Sorry Antonio!



Corset
Keep it classy!  Save it for Halloween.

Capri Pants
I love capri pants. A pair of crisp black capri's are great staple.  And no your legs are not too short! They look great on everyone!



Sheath Gown
Yes and No.   If you are Jennifer Aniston then yes. If you have pasty legs, then no!



Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Jennifer Lopez on Idol

I Love Jennifer Lopez. I think she is a fashion icon. However, I am not sure who is her stylist for American Idol, but I think she needs someone new! Now, do not get me wrong, not all her looks are horrible, but COME ON!!!

I cannot find a photo of her outfit tonight, (Wednesday, March 23) but she is wearing a light pink sequence sweater with a pleated skirt. Her make-up is horrible and hair is halfway decent.


NIGHTMARE!!!

Designer Jeans

Designer Jeans. We all have a pair.  We all have thought it was so cool to have the newest style from Citizens for Humanity or any other high-end designer label.  I remember when my mother had bought me my first pair.  My brothers thought we had both lost our minds.  Now that I am older and wiser I have to say my brothers may have been right!

It has been a couple years since I have worn my jeans.  But several weeks ago I decided that it might be time to pull the denim out of the closet and give it another shot.  However, when I pulled out my designer denim they didn’t fit quite as well as they once did.  These are expensive jeans! They should not fit like this!  So I needed a new pair and I refused to go to Bloomingdale's and spend another $200 bucks on denim that was not going to live up to my expectations

I decided to ask around and see where I could get a great-fitting, affordable pair of jeans.  My hair stylist told me to try H&M.  I was a bit skeptical of this, but I took her advice and the result:  I Love Them!!! They fit great, wash well and keep their shape after wearing them a few times.  Everyone should get a pair!


I bought: H&M style is called SLIM for $39.95

Monday, March 21, 2011

COCOCOZY

www.cococozy.com is an amazing interior design blog. I get a lot of my inspiration from this blog for both interior design and fashion! I need to meet the person behind cococozy! Cheers...

Rainboots are so important in NYC!!!

Rainboots are such a staple in Manhattan but Women's Wear Daily (WWD) says they'll be hot next season! Check out this article from their website!

Rainboots are storming into fall. Traditional tall boots and sporty low-cut styles are going wild in flashy colors and patterns, with utility features such as buckles, zippers and laces.

Best and Worst Healthy Drinks!

I found think article on Aol.com this morning! Its been haunting me all day! 

Did you know that Americans consume about 100 to 150 calories a day fromsugar-sweetened drinks? Keep that up and you'll put on about 10 pounds a year. While it's old news that soda and fruit punch are loaded with sugar, many popular fruit-flavored waters, juices and "healthy" drinks are no better. For example, a 12-ounce bottle of cranberry juice cocktail has 210 calories and 51 grams of sugar. That's like adding 13 spoonfuls of sugar to one glass of water. Sure, you're getting vitamin C, but you're much better off eating a (low-calorie, fiber-rich) orange instead.
A good rule of thumb? Look at the first ingredient. If it's not fruit juice, put the drink down. In the case of cranberry juice cocktail, water and high-fructose corn syrup come before cranberry juice. Water or seltzer is always best, but if you can't live without your morning glass of OJ, make sure it's 100 percent fruit juice and limit yourself to one cup per day. Skim milk is another good option. Meanwhile, try to stay away from sports drinks, flavored coffees and blended beverages. And if you do indulge, stick to one 6-ounce serving.
For those times when water just won't cut it, take to this list of the best and worst "healthy" drinks to quench your thirst without pouring on the pounds.
healthy drinks
Instead Of: Arizona Iced Tea (270 calories, 72 grams sugar)
Choose: Honest Tea "Just a Tad Sweet" (85 calories, 20 grams sugar)

Instead Of: SoBe Green Tea (240 calories, 61 grams sugar)
Choose: Inkos Unsweetened White (90 calories, 0 grams sugar)

Instead Of: Odwalla Protein Monster Chocolate (about 220 calories, 25 grams sugar)
Choose: Organic Family 1% Milkfat Chocolate (150 calories, 9 grams protein)

Instead Of: SoBe Strawberry Banana Lizard Fuel (290 calories, 73 grams sugar)
Choose: Naked Reduced-Calorie Juice (200 calories, 40 grams sugar)

healthy drinks
Instead Of: Naked Pomegranate Blueberry Antioxidant Smoothie (300 calories, 64 grams sugar)
Choose: PomLight (150 calories, 34 grams sugar)

Instead Of: Vitamin Water (150 calories, 33 grams sugar)
Choose: Zico Coconut Water (60 calories, 24 grams sugar)

Instead Of: Odwalla Superfood (260 calories, 50 grams sugar)
Choose: Naked BerryVeggie Machine (260 calories, 36 grams sugar)

Chanel Runway Fall 2011 (Pairs)

I loved the whole Fall 2011 Chanel Collection! I reminds me of Coco herself with the twist of Karl, which is they way it should be! To view the whole collection go to www.chanel.com

Enjoy...

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Welcome


I’ve always been interested in fashion since I was a child. People have always looked to me for fashion advice and I have always been verbal with my opinions. Being in New York City, one is surrounded with many different cultures and aspects of life, this all inspires me. With that said, I have decided to share these opinions, thoughts, photos and more with the world through,  'The KiKi Report.'

'The KiKi Report' will give you a look at what's hot and what is definitely not.  Current trends, classic style, the season must-haves and train wrecks (we all love a good one) will come under scrutiny by the one and only KiKi.

You may be wondering, who is KiKi?  My name is Kate Schulze.  I am a 23-year-old graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) living and working in Manhattan's Upper East Side.  I grew up in South Carolina, but would escape to the Big Apple any chance I could with hopes that someday I would have the opportunity to live there.  Being fashion-forward in a city like Manhattan is a must!  I am a New Yorker who is willing to share the sometimes brutal truth on what works and what does not in this ever-evolving city.