STYLE
Home and abroad
By Catherine Berlin
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Ben Sherman
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Hooliganism as a fashion movement has gone upscale in England. To us oldsters, the line’s short sleeve shirts seem lifted right from the Leave It to Beaver set, which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s so scarily spot-on that we’re beginning to think the Beave had a Brit accent. Anyway, the sweaters, especially the Bass argyles, stand out as perfectly impeccable. To avoid the look of clown couture, however, Americans need a warning: argyle requires finishing touches. So (1) look for a small-checked or pristine white shirt for underneath and (2) go for a snug fit. Urban in the Elmwood Village carries the brand, including great shirts that work with ($99) Volcom ties. There’s a new BS shop on Spring Street in NYC. Explore the collection at www.benshermanusa.com.
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Samuel Dong Blouse
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What I learned on my first trip abroad and entirely clueless about what to wear? When in doubt, ramp it up. Dong is a master at the head-turning top, and this blouse is one of those pieces that has one’s good-taste-reputation covered. Fitted to show body curves, it also has a waist trim that allows it to masquerade as a jacket. The neckline and pattern keep the piece lively enough for evening wear and provide a perfect showcase for more substantial necklaces, such as this one from Rock Candy. Not everyone can carry off a strong contrasting pattern, but that’s no problem. Dong weaves the same magic in whites, blacks, and gray-tones. Blouse ($138) and jewelry ($245) from Mabel Danahy, Amherst.
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Yansi Fugel Anorak
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It is so time to get ready to look good in something other than parkas and long wool coats. Anoraks, true, have a limited sphere of influence, but what the designers are putting on the market nowadays always makes the wearer look sharper than what can be pulled off in most other lightweight jackets. The materials are often high tech, and detail is given to trims and pocketry. All this works to transform you into an activity expert, from sailing to ornithology to mountain passes to professional spectator. This nylon number from designer Yansi Fugel is no exception. $275, also from Mabel Danahy.
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Alexis Bittar Jewelry
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Twenty years ago, Bittar started selling his jewelry designs on the street, at the corner of Prince and Greene streets in Soho, on the sidewalk to be precise. Eleven years later, this Bronx High School of Science grad designed Burberry’s first jewelry couture collection, putting the famous plaid pattern on Lucite. He then helped design the jewelry seen on Sex and the City. Bittar keeps getting bigger and spreading wider. His pieces can now be found at Neo in the Elmwood Village. Photos really don’t capture the look, as the Lucite reacts to light. This Lucite bangle in smoke ranges from practically clear to a luxurious charcoal hue, with silver-plated studs. The bangles come in many colors, including silver and gold, with different color studs. Magnetic closure. About $140.
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Filippa K
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The next time you’re planning on being in South Beach, Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Boston, check out www.filippa-k.com, and pen the retailers into your Moleskin. There is something about these Stockholm designs that is so cleverly unique, so expensive-looking, and so killer flattering—but without the Bergdorf price tag—that we always hover. And although the catalog and website always look so youth-angst and stretch-teed, the racks are loaded with enough grown up sophistication that we figure Filippa—who must be in her forties by now—is watching out for us by taking care of herself. Cool. Featured here is a silk wrap skirt, elastic waist with built in belt, slit front pockets; available in white or black. On the runway, it was worn oversized and flowy. Right-sized, it’ll come off as casual elegant. Your choice. Spring 08 collection.
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Austen Scarlett for Kenneth Pool
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Austen’s not from around here, either. You have to get to NYC or Chicago to try on his wedding gowns. But his face got beamed into many local living rooms as a contestant on the premier season of Project Runway. Austen grew up turning his little sisters into princesses and Kenneth Pool swept him away so Austen would do the same thing for grown up girls on their wedding days, each one of them. Whether you prefer Ginger’s simple sophistication or Botticelli ballgown breadth, why not add to the sparkle of satin and beads, knowing your dress is connected to designer history magic through hit reality tv programming. Besides, who wouldn’t look perfect in a Renoir? Visit kennethpool.com/gallery.
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John-Paul Sofa
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for John Charles Designs
It’s a mouthful, sure, and here’s more. This couch was a finalist in the stationary upholstery category in the 2007 American Society of Furniture Designers Pinnacle Designs Achievement Awards. No small wonder. It does everything a couch is supposed to: looks inviting and stylish, with an innovative curve hug on each end and uplift from the floor. No small wonder where we found it, either. Michael Donnelly Interior Design on Hertel Avenue. Michael Donnelly and Tony Rogers have been recreating home interiors, and have recently established a retail outlet for their creative talents. In fact, it’s the kind of place where you walk in and think, “Oh, this is great. No, I like this better. No, maybe this.” Total frustration, and completely worth the visit. While you’re there, ask Dean Brownrout to introduce you to the pieces from area artists, such as UB distinguished professor Harvey Breverman, whose self-portrait is featured here. Breverman’s work is in the collections at the MOMA, the Met, the Whitney, the Jewish Museum, the Library of Congress, the British Museum, and the Israel Museum, so why not your place? Visit MDID at 1534 Hertel, but call 308-6520 for hours.
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Heavy Rotation TShirt
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Was it the sinister Sabre t-shirt that hooked us? Or how about the linear skyline of Buffalo with the phrase, “Love it or Leave it” on the back? Then there was the video control neckwear design that summed up the feelings of a father asked by his child to race—“again, daddy”—and again and again. But the same shirt brought exclamations from teens three decades younger, comments like, “That’s mine” and “I so want that.” In a city full of ts, Stache seems to hit the mark more often than its boutique size should permit, so kudos to the buyer. $28; Elmwood Village.
Catherine Berlin is a writer, photographer, and lawyer raising children and a husband in Buffalo. growing up around the Great Lakes, she has spent time in California and Arizona, and currently has a second home in Sweden.
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