A Romp Around Chelsea

Sunday afternoon in Chelsea
with Hannah & the Girls
What a lark it was last Sunday on the first cold day of the fall when we girls got together with a fab Brit photographer named Hannah Miles. We met in Chelsea at Stan's place (as in Debra Rapoport's partner, Stan) who lives in Westbeth, the only artists' enclave left standing in the pricey West Village. This was our jumping off point for an afternoon of fun and fotos around Chelsea.

Debra looking absolutely smashing in a

pink-plumed hat of her own design and

pink feather jacket.

 Debra with Dolores from California, in

town for a mini-vacation.

 Dolores' fab hosiery and shoes.

 The pants are from Bali.

Dolores told us she is going to a wedding in India

and has five saris for the event!

 Debra took us to the Gansevoort Market in

the Meatpacking District.

The busy space is chock-a-block with

food stalls and lousy with tourists.

 Dolores seemed a perfect visual fit

with the macaron display.
She could be wearing a macaron on her head.

 Debra just happened to have this blue

feather hat that matched Dolores' hair to perfection.

 This young lady went crazy for the hat!
An utter stranger sans inhibitions.

 Debra and Diana in the violet glow of

the market.

 One of our stops was the Whitney Museum.

Diana Gabriel in a red necklace and earrings of

her own design with Debra.

There is currently at the Whitney a terrific show of

the paintings of Archibald Motley,

Jazz Age Modernist. (1891-1981)

This is the kind of show you pray for from a 

museum -- paintings you can feast your eyes on.

Motley's color is hot and vibrant, and so inspiring!

 We all posed on the Whitney's 8th floor deck.

Hannah is in the foreground.

This random man is seemingly oblivious
 to the drama unfolding before him. 

 The new Whitney, designed by Renzo Piano,
is an urban playground

of catwalks and

death-defying grates. It has

the best views in New York City.

 Carol in a hat of her own design
and silk scarf from Hello Sari.
Photo by Hannah Miles

Hamming in up in the hamlet of NYC.
Photo by Hannah Miles

 Diana with The Standard Hotel as a backdrop.

She is exposing her lovely jewelry, and hopefully,

no one at The Standard is exposing anything else.

 The Empire State Building rises through the clouds.

Hannah Miles with the West Side Highway

and the Hudson River behind her.

See Hannah's work here.

Resting at the Whitney.
Photo by Hannah Miles

À Bientôt!

Pop Up on Orchard Street

A Lovely Group of Dresses
Often I like to take a late afternoon stroll around my neighborhood on the Lower East Side. If you have been away for any length of time, like I was for the month of August in the country, when you return you will find that stores and new restaurants have popped up like mushrooms on a steamy day.

But one Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, I took my usual route up Orchard Street and found a delightful pop-up shop called Mestiza.

 Mestiza owners Alessandra Perez-Rubio and

Louisa Rechter.

They met at Washington University in

St. Louis.

 Four ornate cocktail dresses.

 Embroidered Gladiola Dress

 Each of the designers has a connection

to the Philippines which is

reflected in this dress.

 A gentleman friend shows off

the Fiesta Coral Gladiola Dress

 Mestiza is a term used in the Philippines

to describe a person of mixed ancestry.

 Sage Crinkle Chiffon Bauhinia Gown

 Elaborate sequin and bead

adornment.

 Tropical window display.

 The Smokeshow Half-Moon Dress

The Black Terno Midi in

the Mestiza Look Book.

Gorgeous model.

So if your off to a fancy party, look up

Mestiza and

À Bientôt!

When ribbons are like candy.

Sarah the Curatorial Assistant
My niece, Sarah, is in the second year of her MFA studies in textile design at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island.

This week I was delighted to receive some pictures from Sarah showing her hard at work as a Curatorial Assistant in the renown Costume and Textile department of the RISD museum. Of course being hard at work presupposes that you find working with beautiful clothes quite exhausting.

 Sarah adjusting the sleeve of a Balmain coat.

Sarah says that this coat is not the most

beautiful thing that she has seen in the

collection.

 Sarah also sent along these pictures

of trims and ribbons.

 She was treated to a viewing of the museum's entire

portfolio of  European embroidered pieces.

 They are mostly 17th century French.

Not exactly 17th century, but more like 1960s,

is this Dior gold velour hat that I came

across at Edith Machinist, a vintage

store in my neighborhood.

I love the way the ribbon pieces are over-stitched on the velour.

And don't you simply adore the way they exit in gay profusion 

the gold ribbon tied round the hat?

No, I did not buy it. Too small.

But I will steal the idea for one of my own hats!

 A beribboned bonnet from Austria, ca. 1841/48.

À Bientôt!