District L

It’s about time – Time to analyze, time to applaud… time to acquire.

In the past few days, our mailbox has been filling with Ghosts of Fashion Week Past. On Tuesday, the stylish spirit armed the postman with a Sally LaPointe booklet-turned-photo-reel. Maintaining her keen concept of a Latent Panorama, LaPointe conveyed imminent darkness with hi-contrast backstage negatives and crimson backdrop shots.

And as Sally’s foreign landscape grows closer and clearer with Polariod-like suspense, so does the ability to acquire some LaPointe of our very own. You see, EVA BOUTIQUE seems to understand the DL dilemma – Tribeca tastes on a Murray Hill budget.

So, on April 21 from 5-9pm, EVA BOUTIQUE will be hosting an exclusive shopping event with 25% discount off the Spring/Summer 2011 collection and up to 80% discount on the Fall/Winter 2010 collection.

We’re so in. See you then at 355A Bowery.

After revealing designer events and a sharp photo montage, the Ghost of Fashion Week Past returned today, bearing reminders of Norman Ambrose in the form of a thick spiral-bound book in our mailbox. Ambrose, the California-born Milan-cultivated designer, amazed show-goers this season with his irreverent sophistication and 70s glamour.

We’re dying to get our hands on some Ambrose – until then, we’ll just covet from a distance and try to channel Faye Dunaway circa-1974.

Post by Amanda LaMela

Yesterday morning, one very cold news reporter standing outside in Central Park said, “Today is not a day to look good, you want to bundle up and stay warm.” We at DistrictL say, “Nay, random reporter.” While yes, it is easy to succumb to the baser needs and dress like the little kid in A Chistmas Story, we ask you to rally and continue to dress fabulously. New York can become a wonderful wintry Fashion Mecca of muffs and mulled wine, so let’s keep it that way. And for those of you with a weaker immune system, please adhere to the following guidelines:

If you insist on wearing them, please avoid the basic rubber variety that are typically printed in an obnoxious color that only draw attention to the fact your feet look like they belong to an extra in a zombie movie. Instead why not try:

1. BCBG “Grommet”: These boots may be rubber, but the hard detailing says, “Don’t mess.”

2. Sperry: The quilted top allows for less bulk and the equestrian style will always look dashing while you’re trekking down unplowed Soho sidewalks.

3. Kate Spade “Randi”: The name alone should be enough, but the bow and small heel make it a ladylike way to keep your toes dry.

For those of us who live in the windy, yet fabulous TriBeCa, we can understand the desire to be windproof. However, friends do NOT let friends schlep around in shapeless sleeping bags. Instead, find refuge in polished tailoring and feminine details:

1. Andrew Marc “Brown Quilted Down”: This fur collar and belt draws attention away from the bulk and adds an extra touch of style and warmth.

2. Eli Tahari “Elissa”: This puffer coat has a fantastic collar-hood with gathered edges that offer some sweetness.

Yes, it’s that simple. Wear faux fur like an off-duty stripper, rock a turban, or dress extremely inappropriately and engage only in indoor activities like sipping hot toddies and losing yourself in the Bergdorf Goodman shoe salon. As for me, I will be boycotting pants for as long as possible and committing entirely to tights and over-the-knee socks. Very Pippy-Longstockings-meets-Lolita.

Whatever way you decide, remember that fashion is fun, and though the random reporter may not know it, one can actually look good and be warm at the same time.

Post by Madisen Walker

Three-day weekends are like invitation-only sample sales or open-bar fashion week parties – and District L hates abrupt, unwelcome endings. We celebrated the weekend’s start with a few rooftop cocktails at the Park Avenue Gansevoort. Despite the strong G&Ts and modern décor, the DL team kept Friday’s gathering short in order to make the most of our Saturday morning trip to Philadelphia. As we headed southbound on Saturday with Starbucks in tow, we enjoyed an AM impulse purchase from Plastique.

After arriving in Philadelphia, we held a fashion-fueled meeting with Lisa from Local Boutique. Although we were in the land of the Liberty Bell, we certainly maintained our New York state of mind.

We returned to New York later that evening and celebrated the day’s accomplishments at White Noise. Classic glamrock vibes kept us going until the wee hours of the morning. But Lou Reed quickly turned to Reade Street, with just a short nap separating our night-time follies from our brunch-time activities. We took to the streets of TriBeCa for some Sunday indulgence and stopped by Marc Forgione for bottomless mimosas and contemporary dishes. ­­After a few hours of excessive consumption, we sauntered around the neighborhood, visiting buzz-worthy shops like Working Class Emporium.

When the cold became too unbearable, we stumbled into the Tribeca Grand Hotel for a warming cappuccino. Finally, with the help of Nurse Bettie and her Rosemary Gin & Tonics, we returned to the Lower East Side for our Sunday nightcap.

We woke up to a work-free Monday and sartorial plans with Lois Eastlund. Wall Street was on a “red alert,” as we staged a rooftop photo shoot with a February theme.

After Lois left, our Monday melancholy returned with a vengeance. Fortunately, we will be curing these blues tomorrow at Irina Shabayeva’s preview event. From 5:30-7:30pm, District L will be swilling cocktails and chatting with the designer at Trump Soho.

Post by Amanda LaMela