Z Zegna’s 2011 spring menswear line caught my attention.  Each look is composed of a calm base color, such as grey, and a vivid hue of orange. 

The shade of orange is used in a full range of items – from sandals to mesh t-shirts.  The color, and not the design, is the focus of the line.  The looks are dominated by the orange pieces, while the calm garments play a supporting role.

 Z Zegna’s spring 2011 collection retains the same aesthetic, as it’s siblings, in the sense that the look is very sophisticated yet edgy.  This mix is achieved through a combination of traditional and contemporary garments; for example, outrageous patterns are used on garments with traditional structures.  Many of the button-up shirts feature outrageous patterns, while some of the blazers have adventurous look.

The brand caters to the sophisticated man that is comfortable making a statement. 

The Burberry Prorsum spring 2011 men’s maintains – if not strengthens – the Prorsum lines distinct personality.  The contemporary menswear line offers a chic punk-rock look.

Prorsum is the rebel in the Burberry family – always defying the conservative, preppy conventions of its sister lines.  The spring 2011 line is no exception. 

            The tumbled leather-studded biker jacket, studded utility canvas crossbody bag and spiked accessories are my favorite items in the collection.

            Go to the website to view the show and to order clothing and accessories from the line until June 27^th.   

I became obsessed with Unconditional while I was in London. The brand offers high-end style for a lower price. Most items range between $100 to $300, with the exception of special pieces which can cost as much as $500. 

I have my eye on this dazzling jacket for the fall. 

The journey to my first fashion internship was a tedious one. I lost sleep from the stress of finding a fashion internship in London – no joke. 

I sent out over 30 emails to various PR firms and in-house teams.  The majority did not reply or sent me regret notices, telling me that they could not take me on such short notice. I, after all, did not have the revelation that I should intern, while I was in London, until about a month before my trip. 

 However, my big break came from an unexpected opportunity. On one of the latter days of my internship search, I came across an anonymous listing for an intern position at a “top fashion PR firm.” I sent an email, which consisted of a letter that was more of a cry for help than a cover letter. 

  A few days later, I received an email from a fellow named Andy at Brower Lewis PR.  Andy wanted to call to me have a little “chat.” Later that day I had my phone interview with Andy and he told me I sounded perfect for the job.

Everything was set, or so I thought.

  Several weeks passed and my trip to London was drawing near.  I sent Andy an email expressing how excited I was and he replied with an email saying, “Can I call you? It’s urgent.”

My heart sank.

Andy called and informed me that due to some changes in his company they would not be able to take on an intern during the time that I would be in London. I thought I was going to faint, seriously. 

Then came the good news – Andy had secured me an internship at Exposure.  Exposure is another company in London that does fashion PR for brands like Levi’s, Nike, Penguin, Hannah Marshall and Delphine Charlotte Parmentier.

I had no contact with Ashley – the man that would be my boss – between being hired and my first day. I worried that there was not a position waiting for me. I just showed up, but they were expecting me, and so my first fashion internship began. 

It’s three weeks into my trip and I don’t know where to begin. I’ve had a volume of experiences, both good and bad.  I’ve learned so much about fashion PR at my internship at Exposure, I’ve been robbed, I’ve been to exclusive nightclubs, I’ve purchased designer rags, I’ve seen amazing artwork, I’ve seen Goldfrapp perform live…

I will go into specifics with each subsequent blog post, but know that I’ve learned and seen so much. London is an amazing town – the fashion is outrageous. I am coming away from this experience with a new understanding of style. This was the perfect beginning to my career in fashion.

I’ll spend one-hundred dollars on a pair of shoes, two-hundred on a watch but when it comes to purchasing skin care products I am reluctant to spend big. Most people share the same view; why spend forty dollars on a bottle of cream that I rub on and wash off? This appears to be a perfect justification to settle for the fifteen-dollar night cream at the supermarket. However, this logic is flawed.

I had been using Dermalogica face wash, Dermalogica night cream and Murad SPF 15 moisturizer.  The total cost for a batch of these products was around one hundred and ten dollars; note that it took months to use them up. 

With my London trip on the horizon I have been looking to cut costs – my skin soon became the victim of my budget cuts.  After my bottles and tubes emptied I decided to give Aveeno face wash and daily SPF moisturizer a try.  Aveeno does make some excellent products; I swear by their shaving cream. 

Skin care products can be gauged by their long-term affects on your skin.  My skin felt fine when I first used the Aveeno products, a bit thirsty but fine.  After weeks dry patches and blemishes emerged.  My skin was thirsting for moisture.

I couldn’t take it anymore.  Today I made the journey to Sephora and was introduced to the lovely Lisa who helped me pick out a skin regimen. I brought four products home: Caudalíe’s Gentle Cleanser, Boscia’s Recharging Night Moisture, Murad’s Energizing Pomegranate Moisturizer with SPF 15 and Perricone MD’s Perricone Super Antioxidant dietary supplement. 

I could barely keep from running to the bathroom to try my new products.  After going for a run and taking a shower I finally got to use Caudalie’s Gentle Cleanser and Boscia’s Recharging Night Moisture.  After using the cleanser I noticed that my face felt moist and supple; unlike the tight, dry feeling my previous moisturizers produced. I then applied the Recharging Night Moisture, which felt light and left my face feeling fresh. My skin had taken on a healthy glow; unlike the red, irritated shade my cheeks displayed after using other products.

            Is it really logical to save money on skin care products in order to buy more clothes? No. If your face looks terrible your outfit wont help you.  You are your biggest accessory and you should wear yourself well. Take care of your skin and you will have a healthy complexion that makes any outfit look fabulous.  

Matt & Nat is an eco-friendly fashion house that sells vegan bags, wallets and other accessories made from recycled materials.

I just purchased a pleather, black, studded wallet called the Cosmo Nappa wallet.  The wallet is made out of recycled bottles yet has an expensive, edgy look to it. The wallet is part of the brands current line of products; some of the products have a tough, punk-rock feel to them with black and white leather looks, some covered in metal studs. Other items in the line resemble snakeskin while some are simple pink, green and white hues.  The line is versatile. 

Matt & Nat is an excellent source for hand bags, wallets, belts, jewelry and other accessories for the environmentally-conscious fashionista.  

Many of my friends that have graduated from college and moved to New York City in the past two years have reported shockingly affordable rent in Manhattan, but this may not last for long. As the economy improves, the rates to rent are rising again. Before the economic meltdown, rent in Manhattan was outrageous; most young professionals chose to live in hip, affordable areas of Brooklyn.  After the recession began, renters found the market to be in their favor and many young transplants were getting great deals on great properties. 

The New York Times wrote an article about the rebound of rent in Manhattan. 

So where does this leave me in two years? Who knows. We will see what kind of salary I get.  I could be crammed into an apartment with multiple roomies in Manhattan or I could be living across the bridge in Brooklyn. Only time will tell. 

A new line of Ts sporting the phrase “[marriage is so gay]” is now being sold online.  The shirts come in three different colors; fire, royal and night.  

Aside from sporting a pro-gay marriage statement, the shirts also help the cause of marriage equality financially.  A portion of the proceeds will go to one of three organizations fighting for gay marriage. The buyer has the option to choose which organization benefits from their purchase; Marriage Equality USA, Human Rights Campaign or Freedom to Marry. 

I love the slogan and the shirts come in various sizes, including an XS! I am ordering mine today (I’m buying mine in night,you can’t go wrong with black). 

Click the link in this post to order yours!

I.WANT.THIS!

Michael Kors clear acrylic watch.