SOF Scoop: Lindsay Degen of DEGEN

Lindsay Degen is quickly gaining speed - and a cult following. And we're pretty obsessed over here because she's doing it with a line that's so different, so stand-out, and so incredibly crafted. Her hand-knit designs are so unmistakably DEGEN, making them must-haves for that pop of crafty cool. With the fashion world taking serious note and a recent Victoria's Secret team-up, we were dying to ask Lindsay a few questions.

 

(image from DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: One of the many things really interesting about DEGEN and your background is that knitting is such a bigger design phenomenon than I think a lot of us realize. Can you talk a little more about that world – what it was like to study at RISD and what your biggest influences were?  

Lindsay Degen: The craft of knitting has definitely expanded in a huge way to be practiced by tons of younger people- not just old ladies.  I think this phenomenon is similar to yoga in the way its hype has spread.  I don't think I was really aware of the "trend" until I graduated from college.  At RISD I studied knitting in a fine art context.  I was one of 2 or 3 people who really just focused in knitting.  At school and still today I draw influence from body stuff.  I am interested in making fashion art pieces that allow the audience to embrace and even laugh at body parts, functions, and shapes.  Hopefully my work makes people feel more comfortable talking about it.

 Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: Where do you find inspiration for your designs now?  

LD: Again the body is a huge inspiration to me but also color and texture is important in my "design" or rather, making process.

Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: How have you found the reaction to your collections?   LD: Surprisingly my collections have been well received so far.  Some people think my work is too crafty but that may be because they are used to looking at collections that are made by people operating hi tech machines elsewhere.  There are not many hand made collections at fashion week.  

 Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: What has been a really memorable stand-out moment since DEGEN started becoming so successful?   

LD: The most memorable moments have been: my first shoe order from Solestruck, my WWD cover, working with Todd Selby and really being able to collaborate with some amazing designers, and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (which is actually today) but will air on TV December 10th. [DEGEN's directional, playfully cool knitted pieces were on display at the Victoria's Secret Pink show - see more here: http://www.style.com/stylefile/2013/11/degen-victorias-secret-weapon/]

 Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: Where do you hope to see DEGEN go in the future?   

LD: I hope DEGEN continues to be a creative counter voice to the mainstream, consumer culture- based shows in NY.  I hope babyDEGEN hits babies all over the world.

 Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: How would you describe your personal style?  

LD: I think first and foremost- comfortable.  I love a great sweater, some Levi's and Docs.

 Fall/Winter 2013 (image via DEGEN-NYC.com)

SOF: A question we always ask on the blog: what is the last thing you bought?

LD: I just moved into a new apartment so I am on a home good kick- last thing I bought was this mug thats really awesome with a yellow rubber dipped handle.


Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

Sutton's Before and After Holiday Party Makeup Look With Napoleon Perdis

Last Friday I went to Bergdorf Goodman to attend a holiday event for Napoleon Perdis. And OMG I got an amazing makeover and am totally ready for the holidays.

I took some selfies on the subway so you could see me with no makeup on. I was rolling my eyes at myself, I am NOT one to take selfies. But I had no choice and needed to show you some before pictures!

I was pumped when I got there. What's better than Bergdorf Goodman and makeup? After seeing their displays, I knew I was in for a major treat. 

As you can see, after I got my makeup done, I was totally ready for my holiday party! The best part? I can easily recreate this look at home, and so can you! It's easy even for beginners!

With the Napoleon Perdis holiday collection I am totally in luck, my makeup bag is cut in more than half, yet I still have everything I need to look beautiful. 

During the holidays I am all over the place - family, friends, vacations. Basically I am everywhere but home. I'm sure you're not surprised to know that I have an abundance of makeup at home. While that's great, it doesn't travel well. I am just not toting an extra suitcase full of makeup around, the 12 I already bring with me are enough! Kidding, kinda. I am not insinuating that I don't bring makeup with me, hello? I need to look good!

I am a true believer in makeup brushes. They create looks that your fingers just can't pull off. The Regal Brush Collection will save you this holiday season. It's four brushes, but they are double ended so you actually have eight brushes. Honestly, how convenient is that? You are set with a blush, powder, contour, concealer, eye blender, eye shader, mascara, brow and eyeliner brush, all packed in this beautiful little case!

In case you're unaware, (and have never read any of my posts, uhh hello, Perfectly Glossed Kisses is my sign off) I am obsessed with all things lip related. The Merci Lip Gloss pack has five gorgeous shades to complement any look. 

Looking for something that will have all of your beauty needs covered? Any one of these collections will have you covered. The Paris, Palais, Chateau, or Imperial Collection includes four eye shadows, four lip hues and a nail polish. All of the colors complement each other - you can do you makeup with no thought involved. Napoleon Perdis did all the work for you! 

Loving everything so far? Of course you are and so am I! Then it's no surprise that we both need to shop online at Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus and treat ourselves to the Empress Eye and Lip Palette.

Enjoy your holiday parties!

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,

Sutton

SAUNDER SS14 Film

 (all three images from WWD.com)

(image via bittersweetcolours.blogspot.com)

I recently fell in love with SAUNDER. The spring 2014 collection is sharp, downtown and modern yet earthy, tomboyish yet subtly feminine. It's one of the most effortless to work statement style into your wardrobe this spring, with pieces like the off-the-shoulder bone-print dress - not to mention how flattering its impeccable tailoring is.

Last week, designer Emily Saunders debuted the gorgeous film she created with filmmaker Ross Weinberg, called "Aren't Women Wonderful?" According to the line's PR house, it was "inspired by a Jazz Age song of the same name by Sophie Tucker, an early feminist homage to the strength of women." It concentrates on adventurous women discovering ancient curios and survey territory - an archaeological dig that ties in the prehistoric, safari-inspired undertones of the collection with the modern, urban setting the pieces will be worn in.

Check the video out here! 

http://info.showroomseven.com/SAUNDER/SS14/PRESENTATION_VIDEO/SAUNDER_VIDEO_SS14


Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

30% Off The Most Amazing PJs on Black Friday!

What We're Wearing November 22nd, 2013

This morning I used my it's a 10 - miracle leave-in product. This leave in conditioner eliminates frizz, restores shine, adds moisture, and protects your hair. No need to use a bunch of products when you have this one handy. I hopped out of the shower, used a few sprays and styled my hair. Now my hair looks professionally done. 

Perfectly Glosses Kisses,

Sutton

My "What We're Wearing" entries might just be Canadian tuxedos with different sweaters over them for the rest of the winter months. Cold weather makes me a uniform person: I used to have two looks, either a dress with ankle boots or a collared shirt under a sweater or sweatshirt with a leather/plaid/brocade skirt. I've added this denim-on-denim with knitwear icing to the rotation, so if you think about, my monotony is actually changing things up. My look is all budget fast-fashion here - Target denim shirt, H&M sweater, Forever 21 Jeans, hand-me-down leather jacket - oh, and the Miu Mius.

Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

Haute Legs Monthly Box Review

Tights, leggings, hosiery... need I say more? Haute Legs has it all! I just received my first monthly box and I am thrilled! 

This monthly box is truly one of a kind - no need to worry if you will receive items that you wouldn't actually wear, because you take a quiz! This ensures that you will LOVE what you get - as I did!

The first step is telling them your style. They ask you six multiple choice questions to best determine which box will best suit you.

•Which off-duty celeb style is most like your own?

•Which magazine are you most likely to go to for style advice?

•Which is these modern manicures are you most likely to wear?

•Which celeb legwear looks is your fav?

•Which store would you most likely shop?

•How often do you wear tights, leggings or hosiery?

After choosing your answers, it's time to find out which package is perfect for you!

•Mix it Up - This is the box that I got! Perfect if your wardrobe features a mix of everything and you don't stick with one specific look. From runway inspired designs to classic staples, this box has you covered.

•Make It Haute - Are you daring and love to test all the hottest trends? Then this box is for you - bright colors, sexy details and bold patterns will keep your look fresh. 

•Work It - Wear tights and stockings to the office everyday? Do you want to be classic with a few subtle details to set you apart, while being work appropriate? Yup, this is your box - with neutral, classic leg wear. Never run around your apartment in the morning trying to find a pair of leg wear that doesn't have a run or snag again. 

The second step is choosing your package - how often do you wear leggings, stockings or tights? Do you need two or three pairs a month?

The last step? Easy. Just enjoy your beautiful leg wear!

What did I get, you ask? Well to sum it up, three pairs of perfection!

First, I wore these stockings which were great for work with a fun twist. They are sheer black stockings, but have a detail down the back of my legs. SO many compliments!

I had a business meeting last week and needed a classy look. The sheer stockings (my second pair that came!) were perfect.

OMG - how fun are these? These patterned leggings are so fun and original, without being obnoxious. The black and white coloring makes them easy to wear with anything.

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,


Sutton

SOF Scoop: Stacy Herzog and Sarah Reid of Frieda & Nellie

Sarah Reid and Stacy Herzog of Frieda & Nellie met when Stacy interned at the lingerie company Sarah was working at. And maybe that was fateful, because the two never had to question how well they, as best friends, would work together. Fate ended up playing quite the role in their friendship-cum-successful business - but only as a compliment to their incredible talent and determination.

With Sarah working as a lingerie designer and Stacy working as a designer at Betsey Johnson, both were at that point in their careers where they were thinking about the next step. But what? When Stacy returned from a trip to Ecuador with colorful friendship bracelets in tow, it started to click. The pair of creative friends (their days already revolved around crafting, baking, vintage hunting, all things artistic) were inspired by the bohemian bracelets and nostalgic for days of making the same types in summer camp.

These friendship bracelets were getting tied onto Stacy and Sarah's wrists, that were already laiden with incredibly unique, special vintage pieces. One day, the lightbulb went on: what if they combined those crafty friendship bracelets with those elegant vintage bracelets? They set to work weaving, knotting, twisting and layering. And it was a little more of that fate, plus a lot of how striking their creations were, that lead to the moment that changed everything: walking near Union Square, a man stopped Stacy and Sarah because he was so taken with their bracelets. That man happened to be an editor at WWD. Putting their MacGiver-like smarts in action, Stacy and Sarah took that attention as motivation to have a trunk show - they bribed a doorman not to show a vacant apartment for a few hours while they set up shop and invited friends, family, editors and assorted press. The next day, they were called in for an interview at WWD, and soon after, a half-page article in the paramount magazine changed everything. That week, Stacy and Sarah quit their day jobs.

The name of the company is for Stacy's two grandmothers, Frieda and Nellie. The line perpetrates the spirit of amazing, strong, individualistic woman in everything it does. Every one-of-a-kind piece has a story. Every piece is special, hand-crafted and lovingly dreamed up. And that's caught the attention of the industry because so few other lines are doing something anywhere nearly as unique and thought-out and genuine. They've only been in business since February of 2010, but have grown quickly. They started making jewelry on the floor in Stacy's apartment, then in Sarah's apartment, then they rented an East Village apartment as their company's space - but outgrew that in no time. Their Flatiron space is all them: a vintage space (a ninenteenth century mansion) transformed with their radiantly hued, sparkling creations and whimsical art. Their space is the headquarters of their line both physically and artistically - plus now, their significant others have a little more space from the jewelry-making. "Sarah's fiance found jump rings in his slipper," Stacy laughed. "And there was a ring in his shoe the other day!" Sarah adds. It's true the designers' work bleeds into the rest of their lives, but they wouldn't have it any other way - you don't need a nine-to-five when what you're doing is your ultimate passion. "Sarah has said that getting me and my dog out of the office every night is like herding cats," Stacy jokes - well, a joke that's also quite true.

The pair's success is a sort of obvious movement in the very existence of their line - the fact that they were able to leave their day jobs behind and keep growing and growing to become this sought-after line. But it's been marked by concrete highlights along the way, too - they've partnered with J.Crew to create a capsule collection of their beloved friendship bracelets, and their designs can also be found at Barney's Co-Op, Henri Bendel and Fred Segal, to name a few. Their collaborations to come are sure to not just please, but dazzle, thanks to their innovation and willingness to think outside the box. Stacy and Sarah go beyond fashion to work with artists and tastemakers of all different cultural platforms, embracing the art and worldly surroundings that inspire them as potential for new twists to their aesthetic. These collaborations also come as a result of the duo's determination - in an attitude that anyone looking to start their own business or venture would find incredibly motivating, Stacy stresses the importance of reaching out to anyone that inspires you that you'd like to work with - why not? "Until the answer is 'hell, no,' we don't see a reason to give up." Not surprisingly, Frieda & Nellie hasn't got a "hell, no" yet and probably won't ever.

  There's something infectious about talking with Stacy and Sarah, and it comes across in every piece of jewelry they make. You don't often meet people who love what they do this much. They pour every ounce of energy into it - and they have tons of energy. And there's something really special about buying friendship bracelets from a line helmed by two actual best friends. "We bicker, we disagree, of course that's going to happen - it's like when you're sisters, you know you can argue or disagree about something but at the end of the day, it's okay - they have to still love you!" Stacy and Sarah do agree wholeheartedly on this point that Stacy makes. Stacy explains that both of them love hearing stories and telling stories, and these stories are woven into their jewelry. They're the stories of friendship, the stories of their incredible grandmothers - all of our incredible grandmothers and all of the amazing women of past and present - the stories of traveling the world and hunting for vintage treasure. And they really do make to work Frieda & Nellie jewelry - already so amazingly unique, special, cool, chic, edgy, elegant and charming at once - strikingly different from any other jewelry out there.


Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

Beauty Secrets Revealed Volume X

Ahhh... It's that time again! I'm sharing more beauty secrets with you!

1.) Keep Your Lips Soft and Chap Free

Before you go to sleep every night exfoliate your lips! Just like your face and body, your lips need some buffing as well. Dampen a clean washcloth with warm water and lightly exfoliate your pout. 

2.) Big, Beautiful Lashes

Want the look of false lashes, that look natural, without actually applying them? Yeah, who doesn't? I have an easy fix - after applying your first coat of mascara, dip the end of a q-tip in baby powder and gently dab it over your lashes. Apply a second coat of mascara on top and you will be amazed! 

3.) Get Soft, Smooth Skin, While Reducing Cellulite

Every day before showering use a dry brush - start at your ankles and brush upwards, continue with your stomach, back and arms brushing towards your heart. The bristles will removed dead skin AND it helps to breakup cellulite. 

4.) Make That Mani Last

Getting a manicure or doing one at home that needs to last? With the holidays coming up, you are probably busy and don't have time to change your polish as often. Use a matte nail polish or a matte topcoat over your regular polish. Matte nails last much longer, without chipping, then regular polish. 

5.) Get Rid of Split Ends ASAP

You should be getting regular trims at a hair salon to keep your hair healthy and split end free. No, this should not replace your professional trims and NO I am not suggesting you to start giving yourself haircuts! But in a pinch you can snip those split ends yourself - twist pieces of hair around your finger and look at all of the little hairs that stick out. See a bunch of split ends? Snip them off!

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,

Sutton

What's Happening at Thirteen Vintage

Thirteen Vintage is always open and within reach online, but every now and then, I have to get down to New Hope, Pennsylvania and pay the store a visit. Seeing the unique, on-trend yet strikingly individualistic inventory that is so thoughtfully curated makes the specialness of this store really stand out. Stores don't seem to realize that the same girl might want a Victorian-era vintage jacket, a delicately pre-worn Versace sweater, a Marianne Faithfull t-shirt, a rockabilly dress, Doc Martens and a Day of the Dead skull ring all at once. Thirteen Vintage gives its customer more respect than most retailers do - it believes she's confident, in tune with her style, follows trends but has her own look. And she can find anything her heart desires - on whatever her budget is - here.

If you can’t get to PA any time soon, just head over to that website where you’ll find said amazing collection. But don’t say I didn’t warn you – you could spend hours browsing.

Handbags and Hugs,

Astor