Photo Credit: www.thebudgetbabe.com
Collaboration is the new black. We’ve seen partnerships between the likes of Versace and H&M, Vera Wang and Kohls and now Jason Wu and Target. Collection goes on sale online and in stores on Feb. 5th!
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Breadwinners Cafe is another wonderful place to eat, see and be seen. Tucked into the posh corner of McKinney and N. Hall in Uptown Dallas, Breadwinners offers brunch, lunch and dinner, but of course, I went for the brunch. There was a line out the door, but our group of three didn’t have to wait very long before we were seated in the charming courtyard in the center of the restaurant.
Service was fast and friendly, and the portions generous and delicious. I ordered an iced Chai and the Texas Benedict, made with beef brisket hash, and my friends had the Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs and split a waffle.
If you’re in Fort Worth, Breadwinners is well worth the 45-minute drive east. Sunday Brunch is from 8am-3pm, so I recommend catching the early service at church and heading over to Breadwinners right after to beat the crowd. Valet is also convenient, and afterwards you can always get in a little cardio by checking out the shops at West Village.
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs
"Bread" that was more like awesome pieces of Cake!
Texas Benedict
Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs
Dear Fashionistas,
South Congress is home to many quirky and fabulous shops, but none as adorable as Creatures Boutique. This quaint shop is stocked full of lovely and reasonably-priced hand-made items, from dresses to wallets to jewelry. I absolutely love the leather wallets with the metal detailing and I was really impressed with the vintage-inspired silk dresses. The girls at the boutique are super-friendly and helpful and if I had to sum up the clothing, it’d be fun, feminine and flirty. If you have a party to go to, Creatures Boutique is the perfect place to pick up something special!
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Town & Country’s featured story “Shala Monroque: Life of a Butterfly” by Kevin Conley was an interesting peek into the life of the titular “It Girl” of the fashion and art worlds.
Admittedly, I’m fascinated by Shala’s effortless style and was thrilled when I saw her on the cover of Town & Country. A staple at coveted fashion shows, society parties, and the subject of countless fashion blogs, I have followed Shala’s rise to fame for a while. I expected the article to cover Shala’s innate fashion sense in depth but it took a more high-level approach, which was interesting. However, I found Conley’s article at times snide with respect to Shala’s humble beginnings in St. Lucia and her current access to the upper echelons of art and fashion. There is a frail yet noticeable film of superficiality coloring the praises Conley weaves into the paragraphs. For example, Conley writes, “Monroque…with her seemingly effortless rise from island flower girl to fashion cynosure, belongs to the Holly Golightly line of It girl.” Excuse me, Holly Golightly was a call girl, a scandalous occupation even today, and especially at the time Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released in 1961. While it’s expected that the movie would tip toe around such subject matter, I’m not sure why this modern article even makes mention of a call girl in reference to Monroque. But to be fair, perhaps Conley was speaking to the essence and spirit of Holly, charmingly brought to life by the beloved Audrey Hepburn. After all, not many people remember Holly’s occupation; rather they seem only to remember she had no job, technically. Given her extravagant lifestyle, this made her mysterious and well, cool.
About 10% of Conley’s article reads as negative, with its peppering of scathing remarks poorly disguised as innocent commentary, which I found neither illuminating nor necessary. Happily, the remaining 90% of Conley’s article is positive. He does go on to compliment Monroque’s innate fashion sense (of course): “In the snaps that show up in street-style blogs everywhere, Monroque is admired for her sense of fun, the confident way she makes her own rules, mixing distinct silhouettes with designer looks straight off the runway with vintage-store finds.” He also compliments her radiant smile: “It is not seductive or knowing or conspiratorial. What it is is luminous- strikingly, wholesomely so. Shala smiling makes you feel extravagantly good.”
I think Shala’s appearance on the cover of Town & Country is wonderfully deserved and appropriate. She’s a sartorial taste maker, effortlessly glamorous and endlessly interesting. I heart Shala, and wish her all the very best.
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Dear Fashionistas,
In each city I visit, I religiously try to seek out the best it has to offer, not only with regard to fashion, but also food. There are a handful of places that are rather special to me for filling my plate and my life with beautiful memories shared with family and friends. In Fort Worth it’s Taverna and the vegan eatery Spiral Diner. In Dallas, it was Dralion (anyone remember that place?) Southlake: Trulucks, Washington D.C.: Legal Seafoods and Peacock Cafe.
I’ve been actively searching for that special place in Austin and I think I may have found it in La Condesa, a contemporary Mexican restaurant anchoring 2nd and Guadalupe. Whenever I strolled by, I found myself inexplicably drawn to it, the dimly lit interior masked by a soft veil of opaque curtains, the delicious aromas and music wafting, no, beckoning, on the breeze each time the door drifted open. And then there’s that curious blue staircase, bathed in the most deliberate shade of aqua, suspended in mid-air, mysterious, almost reverent. Interestingly, the staircase is positioned in such a way that anyone visiting the Malverde bar above La Condesa has no choice but to pass through the restaurant.
I finally stopped by La Condesa for dinner with friends. Inside, the amalgamation of wood, steel and glass is softened by sensuous lighting and a subdued palette of beiges and browns. Award-winning and A-List ready, you almost expect a credible starlet to descend the aqua staircase to dine amongst the other beautiful patrons.
Once seated, I ordered my usual glass of water with cucumber in lieu of lemon and the “Guiso de Hongos y Epazote,” or mushroom tacos. My friends and I struck up a lively conversation and shortly thereafter, our meals arrived. I continued to politely and attentively listen until I took my first bite. Then, the room went still, the lights faded and words fell silent. There was no one and nothing else in the room but me and my tacos. I swear, my spirit left my body, ascended that blue staircase, and I saw Jesus. In the club upstairs. Chillin’.
What I am trying to say is that these mushroom tacos are unbelievably delicious. Any meat eater would seriously consider vegetarianism after trying them. On my other visits I’ve also tried some of the crab appetizers and a watermelon martini. Glorious.
If you’re in Austin, I’m telling you, you must experience La Condesa’s immaculate confections.
THE Mushroom Tacos
PARAGRAPH HERE
Stairway to Heaven
Dolly Python…just by the name, you know you’re in for something unusual and amazing. In the same vein of vintage wackiness as Austin’s Uncommon Objects, Dolly Python is a mecca of rare clothing, accessories, furniture and other fun tchotchkes. Located at 1916 N. Haskell Avenue in Dallas, Dolly does have one thing that Uncommon Objects doesn’t: Melinda the psychic. Every Saturday she does palm readings- $15 for 15 minutes. So while at Dolly Python, you can shop for things from the past and get a glimpse of your future.
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Photo Credit: Fashionbombdaily.com
Dear Fashionistas,
Happy MLK Day! Never forget- and never give up- on your Dreams!
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Photo Credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP/Getty Images/ sfgate.com
Photo Credit: Blacknews.com
The 2012 Golden Globes. Well…ok. I’ve been writing Thread Conscious for two years. You know by now that I try to stay positive at all times. But there comes a time when fashion is so bad, and so disappointing, that you find yourself picking the best of the worst, because there just wasn’t enough good to go around. That time has come. I was not wowed by the fashion of the Golden Globes this year. I was sooo…underwhelmed. It was a fashion fail. Up first is the Best Dressed (relatively speaking) and then the Worst Dressed…plus some more mess. All photos courtesy of WireImage except where noted. Happy Monday.
ON TO THE BEST DRESSED
Rooney Mara in Nina Ricci
Rooney Mara: Edgy cut-outs in black. That seems to be Rooney’s M.O., so it’s expected. At least the dress was interesting.
Photo Credit: Zimbio
Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren: Love the color on Helen, and the fact that there’s a different texture on the bottom. Sophisticated with just the right amount of bling, at the waist, no doubt. I really like this dress.
Paula Patton
Paula Patton: Paula looks gorgeous in this classic mermaid silhouette, in the happiest hue of yellow. I don’t hate it. #winning.
AND ON TO THE WORST DRESSED!
Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace
Angelina Jolie: I don’t know. No, I can’t. It’s just wrong. The fabric looks cheap, the slash of red at the neckline isn’t a pleasant surprise, it’s an eye sore. For once, I paid more attention to what Brad Pitt was wearing.
Amanda Peet
Amanda Peet: Unfortunately, I think I’ve seen something like this before. And it was a very unflattering wedding dress.
Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle: The color’s not bad, but that’s the only good thing about this frock. This dress looks like it came straight from Windsor. Actually, Windsor has better looking dresses than this.
AND MORE FASHION FAILS
Natalie Portman, Repeat Offender
Natalie Portman: I love Natalie Portman. She’s known for her intelligence as well as her talent. But I don’t understand why she repeated last year’s Golden Globes red and pink fiasco this year.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
AND IT GETS BETTER. I MEAN WORSE.
Zooey and Emily Deschanel- Worst Dressed Duo, Double Fail
Zooey Deschanel and Emily Deschanel: People seem to like Zooey’s zany fashion sense and I have to admit I don’t completely hate her dress. I’m just having trouble articulating what I don’t like about. But Emily, Betty White called and she wants her dress back.
Ok, that’s enough. The rest of the week will be more positive, I promise!
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Photo Credit: New York Times
Dear Fashionistas,
The weekend is finally here! I’ve been recuperating from a minor surgery (all four wisdom teeth were removed on Wednesday- good riddance!) and while sipping on soups and apple sauce, I came upon this story about Holly Golightly’s party pad in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. One of Audrey Hepburn’s most memorable and celebrated roles, Holly Golightly embodied the quintessential It Girl, hosting the most unbelievable parties at this chic brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Holly Golightly and Hollywood aside, can you imagine the non-fictional fetes hosted there? Well, if you’d like to throw your own parties there, the brownstone’s yours for a mere $5.85 million.
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
Photo Credit: Zillow.com
(Video Credit: Zillow.com/Youtube.com)
