District L

Fashion and nightlife have been reunited in New York, once again.

They say finances are the cause for most break ups, and for a fleeting moment, fashion looked at nightlife and said, "I liked you better before the recession."

Alas, all beautiful unions seem to find a way to work through the hardships, and party photographers like Kirill and Nicky Digital have been there to capture the renewal of vows.

This month's romantic destination? Your wrists. Bangles aren't enough, ladies. This revisited fling requires more: Texting Gloves

Post by Amanda LaMela

Images by KirillWasHere

We don't know what Andre Leon Talley and Joe Zee's job descriptions are either, but if we could guess, the help-wanted listing probably included playing tennis in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, shouting on TV, and traipsing around Manhattan in a Chanel gorilla costume.

Post by Amanda LaMela

Halloween poses an interesting conundrum for the young fashionista, forcing us to make the decision between sexy and fashionably-relevant.

Yes, I know what you're thinking, "Screw this slutty costume fad! I'm going to be different. I'm going to dress up as Tavi or Iris Apfel. Let those other stupid girls conform to these... " and blah, blah, blah. Uh huh, we've seen your type make these mistakes before. And you'll realize it when you try to wave down the bartender in a sea of naughty nurses, sexy school teachers, and trampy traffic cops, while wearing seven layers of mish-mashed prints...

Stop panicking, because today I came up with the sexiest costume for the fashion insider. Guys will love it, gays will get it, and anyone who's been in the New York Fashion Week tents will appreciate the reminder:

Shail Upadhya and Lisa Theodore

Grab your favorite fashionizing male, get him a newsboy cap and some paint, and get to work. This quiet Fashion Week regular haunts the MB venues with a sexed-up date every season. And it's not all that hard to make it work -- paint a button-down shirt in a garish pattern and tie it below the bust. Pair it with a matching hat, skin-tight pants, and you're good to go.

Post by Amanda LaMela

We here at District L love to accessorize every part of our lives, and that includes our coffee tables. Which is why we attended the combo book launch/art exhibit celebrating the new book “Modern Views” featuring work by Al Taylor, the center of the exhibit.

For a random Wednesday there was a pretty lively crowd of trendy, pseudo-pretentious arties who, whether purchasing the book or not, seemed to be enjoying the abstract, rather architectural sculptures and vino, compliments of Urban (though most people are considerably more enjoyable with chilly drink in hand – Merci, Urban, regardless). So what does one wear to such a soiree?

The trend for the evening leaned towards the “I’m-running-here-straight-from-work-and-don’t-even-have-time-to-remove-my-fabulous-fall-fashion-before-I-jet-off-to-something-else-fabulous.”

Of course, like at most events, bringing your fabulous friend with his fabulous furry man bag* is always welcomed.*and don’t worry PETA- its faux

As for the actual art – our in-house photographer and resident art snob described it as “overly simple yet disturbing at the same time.” I guess a little like President Bush?

Post by Madisen Walker

It's official: Wednesday night is the new Thursday night, which is fantastic -- until spiteful, stagnant Thursday morning knocks, as promptly as ever.

Two weeks ago, District L celebrated the Swatch launch at the new Park Avenue Gansevoort. Last Wednesday, we raised our flutes at the opening of The Chelsea Room. But yesterday, our mid-week scheduling became so unruly, I had to venture solo to the CUE Art Foundation for a Night of Fashion.

Fortunately for me, the event's headliner, designer Ann Yee, had a pre-show moment to chat. District L first fell in love with Yee's aesthetic this past fashion week at ION Studios. Her SS11 collection exhibited a nonchalant, feminine versatility that has become so synonymous with New York style.

Interestingly enough, Ann divulged that her Midwestern roots were a bit less chic than her transplanted plot on the East Coast. I listened and nodded solemnly (not eager to also share my own small-town background.) Since her escape, Ann has worked as a knitwear designer for Barney's, LaROK, Elizabeth and James, and Alice + Olivia, all before launching her namesake line.

This season, Yee was inspired by the neo-noir film, Blade Runner, after watching it amply projected onto a wall at a loft party in Brooklyn. Pulling a color story from the opening scene, Ann softened the femme-fatale feel with soft draping and luxe knits.

As I excitedly and gracelessly gestured with a cocktail in one hand and a camera in another, we had an ardent discussion about her design inspiration, vision, and intentions. "I don't design for one type of woman," she assured, "I want my clothes to be versatile and adaptable to a range of lifestyles."

Post by Amanda LaMela

1. Tavi Gevinson

2. Cecilia Cassini

3. Kira Plastinina

4. Maddison Gabriel

5. Taylor Momsen

Remember 2008? The Beatrice was open, Down By The Hipster was a real blog, and people only talked about the economy -- but nobody really felt it.

Yes, New York was a Playland. And it seems like the fun has now returned: Don Hills opened last month, Fashion Week got a venue upgrade, and people are having fun with fashion again.

The last time fashion and nightlife meshed this candidly and lavishly, I was starting my long line of internships at W Magazine, getting a daily dose of comedy with Essentially Emily, and still checking Fashionista every day. Yes, it was June 2008 and all was wonderful in the world of fashion. Or so I thought, until I was informed by Gawker, DBTH, and the rest of the interwebs about this:

Fashion Meets Finance: It's not like this was a secret pairing, I knew this. Every polo-donning twenty-something who oozed out of the Holland Tunnel in the past decade had successfully used the "I'm in finance" lie to bed drunk, thin, well-dressed women. But never before was it so forced, obvious, and.... counterfeit.

No, the gold-digging/douchebaggery aspect did not anger me. It was the tacky women with crunchy hair and Coach bags who tried to pass as "fashionistas" -- THAT pissed me off.

So, in conclusion, while every industry insider enjoys crying apocalypstick on the New York fashion and nightlife scene, here's a reminder that it wasn't always rainbows and Fendi heels:

Post by Amanda LaMela

If you are lucky enough to live in New York, you probably could do with more closet space. (But really, who couldn’t?) When we see that Bloomies is starting to put up their holiday decorations, we know it's about that time to start packing up our summer favorites to make room in our teeny closets for more winter wear -- But don’t pack it all up yet. We have a new trend that lets us appreciate summer all year round, and you can thank our new favorite Danish friend.

I met Hanne Bloch in Chelsea at an emerging designers event a couple weeks ago. The ex-Missoni swimwear designer started her line a few years ago and it’s truly taken off. The key to her success – making it a family business. She uses her father’s old cufflinks melted and hammered down as the metal detail accents on her swimsuits.

When I told her I was in love with her suits she informed me that I would not need to wait until next Hampton’s season to wear it! Most of her clients are using her swim tops as bras under flowy tops and sweaters. This is a scantily clad idea I can jump on -- too perfect for those late-night swimming sessions at Le Bain… and laundry day.

To check out her swim wear and cover-ups soon to be sweeping nightclubs and beaches, check out her website www.hanne-bloch.com

Post by Madisen Walker