Stylehive - Connecting Stylish People

Fashiontribes.com is a fun fashion blog that updates daily with all the latest in runway trends, fashion fabulousness, and luxury lifestyle. I worked for years as a NYC fashion stylist, but always wrote-wrote-wrote articles - nights, weekends, lunch breaks on set - for anyone who would print my stuff, which fortunately turned out to be magazines like Marie Claire Asia, GQ Taiwan and Elle Girl Korea. Blogging gives me a cutting edge new platform for my work, but without magazine middlemen.

style is a lot like writing. Like language, fashion provides the grammer rules and vocabulary; how you string together sentences, paragraphs and stories is style. It's easy to wear a head-to-toe look off an A-list runway; however, interpreting the runway and adding interesting accessories and unusual combinations in a way that still looks on trend (and not bag lady) - now that's true style. The best high fashion example is every fashionista's girl crush: French Vogue editrix, Carine Roitfeld.

1. Writing & blogging: I love being a writer. From long 11,000 word pop culture pieces (the role of vampire movies in society...it's true!) to quickie blog posts on an amazing under-the-radar designer or kickass shoe, I dig sharing ideas. 2. Magazines! I'm an unapologetic magazine junkie. I must read a good 10-15 magazines a month, and always try to look at something outside of fashion (fly fishing; bodybuilding) regularly. 3. Gossip Blogs....I know, I know...

I'm probably blogging at Fashiontribes.com. I love breaking down the interesting runway trends, seeing where they fit in the context of fashion history, and then figuring out just what that means to a fashionista's closet right now. (I'm probably on the hunt for some shoe or bag du jour I'm obsessed with.) Also, I recently re-launched my five fashion "tribe" magazines at TribalRunway.com - it's a unique way of customizing fashion & lifestyle information for different tastes & lifestyles.

The world of online fashion, definitely. Before blogs and social shopping sites like Stylehive, we had to rely on magazine editors and their singular point of view. Now, you can find bloggers whose taste you like, connect with others via social networking and bookmarking, and share fashion tips and finds, and even generate your own content. For TribalRunway.com, I want readers to inform the content, both by voting on it, commenting, and contributing to it...a new cooperative publishing model.

My absolute fashion must have(s)
I'm having a major red shoe moment right now (although, when am I not?). They give a girl a great excuse to buy a matching red bag - a combo that looks particularly chic with a baby blue spring frock, anything gray, and the safari-inspired shirtdress that's at the top of my list. There's also a Flintstone-style chunky necklace of dark red and grayish green beads from Dinosaur Designs that I'll probably have to get to leave the house feeling dressed (that's my story and I'm sticking with it!)

What designers are you into these days?
Sandra Backlund's amazing knits are more like sculptures you wear. They're avant garde without making you look ridiculous. Also, I've been really into Mary Ping's Slow and Steady Wins the Race line lately. There's something charming in an old school way about how she wants to market experimental fashion at a pricepoint that fans of it can actually afford. Also, Pierre Hardy - he just did a line of shoes for Gap. Amazing - Pierre Hardy for under $100!

Jewelry, shoes, or bags: which do you splurge on the most?
Without question, shoes, shoes & more shoes. Even when bags were having their moment over the last few seasons, it's always been about the shoes. My challenge has been expanding my shoe universe to include, yes, flats...but I'm trying. Suddenly shoes are in the spotlight on the runways (the most amazing at Christian Dior, anything Pierre Hardy does for Balenciaga, and the floral sculpted heels at Prada) so there are more options in the affordable range. Hallelujah!

Color I rock the most
As a New Yorker, big surprise: black. It's almost embarrassing, especially with so much color and vibrant prints in style for spring. However, I think I'm going to be brave and rock some warm weather florals ("think" being the operative word). At the very least, lipstick red shoes and accessories will be making the cut.

Favorite recent movies
When "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is one of your all-time favorite movies, it's hard for most movies to compare (ditto "The Big Lebowski"). Classic Film Noir has dominated the Netflix cue lately, in particular "The Maltese Falcon", "Double Indemnity", and "Casablanca". The writing, plotting, backstabbing, scheming, dark endings, and gorgeous fashions....fabulous!

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