In the Neighborhood

Lord & Taylor decided to take advantage of the hullabaloo that is New York Fashion Week and coordinate their new shoe salon opening.  This was a big and shiny affair, with DJ’s designers, bartenders, and an array of New York’s stylish.

Lord & Taylor knew just when to pop the cork with this one, the fall styles are overflowing.  Fifth Avenue is a shopping mecca for tourists and locals alike, and every noteworthy department store has some form of representation on this street.  Lord & Taylor was one of the first department stores in New York City, so it is fitting that they would make such an entrance.

Dance music, mixologist cocktails and a fashionable scene were all at hand to witness the new look of the store’s 5th avenue and 38th street store.  Shoes upon shoes upon shoes filled tables, shelves and all manner of displays.  Designs from Ivanka Trump, Vince Camuto, Steve Madden, Michael Kors, Frye, Hunter, Converse, Sam Edelman and loads more!  A huge portion of this floor in the store was mapped out with the path to all of your new favorite shoes.

The atmosphere was great for a little buttered up shopping.  Nothing gets people to buy more stuff during a sale than alcohol.  Champagne flutes and heels clicked while girls went gaga over the selection of boots.  Fall is around the corner and you don’t want to get caught in the first cold rain with your sandals on.

The most important part of this new shoe wing, Shoe Obsession, is the color selection.  All important colors are present, and trending styles such as pony, camo, and red and olive suede.  Hunter boots in the most colors we have seen yet were a distraction.  Having good wellies is a survival must in this city.  Converse and Sam Edelman slides tempted right at the escalator.  Stiletto anklets from Michael Kors in camouflage pony were a hot item, as were Coach tan knee high boots.

Lord & Taylor knows fashion, and shopping at one of New York’s original department stores is so simple when it is right in the heart of midtown and surrounded by glitz and glamor.  Snag a great pair of fallsies for under 200 dollars, there are so many great styles to choose from!

Lord & Taylor
424 5th Avenue
(between 38th and 39th Streets)
Shoe Floor
New York, NY 10018

By Danielle Guercio

About Josie

It’s hard not to be inspired by someone like Josephine “Josie” Almeda Cruz of Natori. This continent hopping entrepreneur, originally from the Philippines, has built herself from the ground up to create one of the globe’s most respected fashion names.

According to Natori‘s website, Josie “credits her entrepreneurial nature to the matriarchal society she grew up in along with the support of her close-knit Filipino family.” She migrated to New York at the wry age of 17 where she set out to study economics, not fashion. However, upon graduation, she worked her way up the corporate latter and found herself sitting in the chair of the first female Vice President of Investment Banking.

Eager for more of a challenge, she founded her lingerie brand, Natori, which has blossomed into a one-stop destination for ready-to-wear, home goods, eyewear and even fragrance. It’s been three decades since Josie went from number-cruncher to lingerie designer, and things just keep getting better.

Natori Boutique’s Transformation

In recent months, the Josie Natori boutique has gone through some impressive transformations. Located at 253 Elizabeth St, between Houston and Prince, the boutique is “a multi-cultural, multi-faceted and multi-hued expressive collection that consists of mix and match lingerie, sleepwear, otherwear, accessories and home goods in bold patterns, vibrant colors and exciting prints.”

Walk through the doors and you’ll automatically feel as if you’ve been taken to a distant land where frumpy clothes, dreary prints and lackluster accents have been ruled obsolete. We can go on and on about how pretty the store looks, but the proof is in the pictures and in-person visits.

The New Fragrance

In addition to home goods and apparel, the boutique also features Natori’s recently debuted fragrance, titled JOSIE. It’s technically a fragrance collection that includes the EDP, a body cream and a lotion.

I’m actually a pretty huge fan of the original Natori fragrance, a super sultry, ultra sexy scent that’s worked its way into my regular fall perfume rotation. JOSIE sounds like a fresher variation and is described as a “new scent with a spirited energy and sexy edge. It was inspired by the quintessential JOSIE woman — a woman with no rules, no pretenses and no apologies.

“I wanted to create a fragrance for JOSIE that exudes charisma,” says Josie herself. “I am thrilled with the scent – it truly captures the essence of the brand. Today’s woman knows that there is value in expressing her true self and the JOSIE fragrance, a beautiful sensual scent, gives her one more way to express her irrepressible individual style.

Event: Natori Pajama Party

Make sure you drop by the Natori Boutique to check out both the fragrance and the recent makeover. If you want even more of an excuse to go, though, we recommend attending Josie’s pajama party on August 5th.

The event will feature origami lessons, style fortune cookies and a social media photo booth. During the party, attendees will have the chance to win a $500 gift card to the boutique by sharing photos on Instagram using #JosiePJParty and @NatoriCompany. RSVP to [email protected]

Natori Boutique
253 Elizabeth Street
between Houston and Prince Streets
Hours: M-Sat 11-7, Sun 12-6
646.684.4934
natori.com

By Wendy Rose Gould

As an Upper East Side Ambassador, I had to report on the blizzard. I don’t know how badly it snowed in other neighborhoods, but I have to tell you, it’s pretty quiet here. It is kind of Christmas and Valentine’s Day in one. Enjoy the pics, and have a great weekend.