Friday, December 23, 2016

Bill Blass Has Class!

Many thanks to the Bill Blass company for sending me a lovely gift this holiday season.  It's a nice sized navy blue leather pochette and perfect for toting around my camera, phone, notepads, etc as I cover my beat as Accessories Editor!

Bill Blass Pochette

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Kate Spade Via Apprecier.com

I'm so excited, I won the Apprecier.com styling contest and this beautiful pair of Kate Spade shoes! They arrived yesterday and are even more adorable in person.  Very Audrey Hepburn from the move Sabrina and perfect for the holiday season to dress up my cocktail outfits!

Thank you Apprecier and Kate Spade!

Kate Spade Madelaine Too

Friday, November 11, 2016

Apprecier.com Style Contest

It's been a while since I posted anything and I have a lot of catching up to do.  My mom hurt her leg and we had too many sick pets, but I'm trying to get back in the groove.  Currently I'm a finalist in a style contest on www.apprecier.com and I would so appreciate your votes!  Here's the link below....click on the button for voting and that will take you the the Apprecier Facebook page where you can Like my style.   Thanks so much!

Alison's style!

Thursday, June 30, 2016

New Sunnies From Colors In Optics!

When I wear sunglasses I like them over-sized and love the ones with a vintage vibe like Jackie O or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany, so I was delighted when the nice people at Colors In Optics sent me a pair of their new style called "Theresa."

Theresa by Colors In Optics

I've been wearing them everywhere for the past week and getting lots of compliments. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on them this holiday weekend, because I think there's a little sunglass envy going on around here.  Luckily they came with a nice, well padded leather case where I can hide and protect them in my bag when I'm not wearing them.

Casa Theresa

I also love that inside the arms is a cool marbleized pattern that's a secret feature for me to know is there and for other people to see when I take them off.

The chic inner arms

All in all, very flattering glasses and I'm relishing the attention!  If you love them as much as I do you can order them directly from Colors In Optics at 1-866-393-3374. The model # is:  CS 321 OXM. 


Ready to make a splash!


Friday, June 10, 2016

Who's Who In The Zoo With A Vintage Elephant Bag & Vintage Barry Goldwater

I was at the Central Park zoo last night for their annual gala and even though I was there just as press this year I decided to dress in fun zoo themed clothes.  I've been going to this event for years, but as one of the paying guests.  This time around it was strictly for work.  I wore a zebra print jacket and carried a vintage wicker bag shaped like an elephant.  I thought if I looked the part I might attract the attention of other people with zoo themed accessories that I could photograph and my strategy worked. I had so much fun talking to people about our mutual animal accessories. Some of them even took my picture, including the director of another zoo who was at the gala.  She and I both had thematic bags.

My vintage elephant bag

My elephant bag had a little surprise inside that thrilled everyone I showed.  I bought this bag on Ebay about fifteen years ago and it came with two political buttons inside from the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign in 1964.   That was before I was born, but many people in the crowd at the zoo gala were a bit older and they remembered well and got a real kick out of seeing the pins.  The bag was a convention souvenir or accessory that was carried by a Goldwater supporter.  

Political pins that came with my bag

I've been thinking of selling this bag in advance of the Republican National Convention this summer and funny enough someone last night offered to buy it from me (not at the zoo gala, but when I met up with some friends afterwards).  But I think Donald Trump should buy it for Melania to carry in July.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

What I Wore: Turquoise

I like the color turquoise and this is the time of year for it.  Even though it's been cool in New York, we're getting closer to summer so I decided to break out the turquoise colored accessories when I went to an event earlier in the week.

Shoes:  L.K. Bennett
Ring:  from QVC
Necklace:  from T. J. Maxx
Earrings:  unknown origin



Ring close up


The next day I wore shoes that I would call more cerulean or azure than turquoise, but still in the same color family.   My scarf was also a turquoise mix.   These colors remind me of summer and the Caribbean Ocean and all that's good in life!


Shoes:  Manolo Blahnik
Scarf:  Ann Taylor Loft

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Hermes Gangsta Girl

I love Hermes scarves, bracelets, bag, etc.  Nothing disappointing can ever come in one of their orange boxes.  I have several of their beautiful scarves, some were gifts and some I bought myself, but I rarely wear them, because I just don't know how to tie a scarf to look lux and not matronly.  I'm much more likely to wear one of their enamel bracelets that has the same scarf patterns.  I recently decided that I need to learn to tie scarves, so I've been practicing with a scarf tying book I bought.  I intend to become an expert at this in time!  But for now I've mastered tying a long rectangular scarf into a bow, which has gotten me quite a few compliments and I'm ready to make my headscarf debut with an Hermes triangular scarf.

Yes, you can fold a square scarf into a triangle, but in 2007 I was in Hermes and they had a triangular scarf.  I thought it was cool and unusual so I bought it.  The box is a special triangle shape, too.  Of course I never wore the scarf, but now it's going out to a party in a couple of weeks.  Here is what it looks like and photos from one of my practice sessions.  I think I look a little bad-ass and I'm okay with that!

Triangle scarf from Hermes

This has to be the coolest box at Hermes

Hopefully I will look like a bad-ass and not just an ass at the party, but I think it's fun.

I need a little more practice to get the top flat, but getting there

Getting into the spirit of it


Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Blogging For The New York Social Diary -- Heads Up

Please enjoy my column in today's NYSD!  There are lots of fun accessories, including from Vera Wang, Hermes, Christian Louboutin, Givenchy, Oscar de la Renta, Larry Vbra and more!

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/guest-diary/2016/accessories-diary-heads-up




Issey Miyake necklace

Sunday, May 1, 2016

What I Wore: Black & Tan

A couple of weeks ago I co-hosted a store party to benefit an animal hospital.  My blazer was black with tan trim, so I chose my accessories accordingly.

Bag:  Hermes Birkin
Scarf:  Talbots
Shoes:  Kate Spade
Bracelet:  Verdura cuff
Necklace:  Raymond Yard yellow pearls
Earrings:  Mikimoto yellow pearls
Ring:  Verdura Candy ring


I love color, but sometimes I like neutrals as well.  I think it's especially important to accessorize well when wearing neutrals so your outfit doesn't look too drab.  My scarf tied the outfit together (no pun intended), because it was black and tan and looked lux.  

Here's a close up of my jewelry:

Raymond Yard pearl necklace, Mikimoto pearl earrings, 
Verdura Candy ring & Verdura cuff bracelet

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Friday, March 25, 2016

What I Wore: Car Show Colors

I attended the preview party for the New York International Auto Show last night and a cocktail event at the Bulgari store on Fifth Avenue.  Sadly, I don't own any Bulgari (how can that be???), but I felt like I had to break out the "good stuff" to attend a party there!

I wore a medium blue dress with a multicolored tweed jacket over it.  The colors in the jacket were light pastel so I chose accessories in shades of blue, pink and green.

Shoes:  Manolo Blahnik
Bag:  unknown
Ring:  Coach
Bracelet:  Seaman Schepps
Earrings:  Verdura
Necklace:  Ross Simons cross
Pearls:  unknown

I was so glad I was wearing something from Verdura because I ran into the chairman of Verdura! Truth be told about 85% of the time I get dressed up I wear Verdura, so the odds were in my favor.  I love this bag.  I got it at a store in my general neighborhood that sells a lot of bags.  The label in the bag just says "Genuine Leather" and I can not recall the name of the store.  The color blue is so pretty and I always get a lot of compliments.  I also love the blue of these old Manolos.  Blue is one of my favorite colors, but living in NYC I tend to wear a lot more black.

Since it was Holy Thursday I thought wearing this cross would be perfect, plus it picked up the colors in my jacket.  Here's a close up of the jewelry:

All the pretty pastels worked together, because the ring had all the colors in it.

In addition to the jacket, the Coach ring also had a lot of pastel colors in it.  This ring is pretty cool.  It was part of the limited edition Tony Duquette collection at Coach a few years ago.  There are flowers all over it and in the center of each flower is a different crystal gemstone.  I had never worn it before, but Spring is the perfect time.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

What I Wore: Tiger's Eye

A couple of days ago I attended a book signing party.  It was a chilly day and I needed to bundle up and I felt like wearing a dark color, so I chose a leopard print dress and lot's of tiger's eye accessories.

Bag:  L.K. Bennett
Shoes:  Dolce & Gabbana
Necklaces:  Van Cleef and Neiman Marcus
Earrings:  W Hotel gift shop
Bracelets:  Treasures in Jewelry (vintage) and two made by me
Rings:  Judith Ripka and Bauble Bar


I love tiger's eye, especially set in gold.  It's such a rich stone.  Here's a closer look at the jewelry:

Rich browns

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

What I Wore: Malachite

Last night I attended a private cocktail party for the Museum of Arts & Design.  It was a pre-party for their upcoming  LOOT: Mad About Jewelry exhibit benefit.  The invitation said to wear fabulous jewelry and since it's St. Patrick's Day later this week I decided to wear some green jewelry.  Green has always been my favorite color and I absolutely love malachite!  The rest of my outfit was black with an ivory jacket with black trim.  And, my model here was Misty, my black & white cat, who fit in well with the color scheme.  She took a little too much of a shine to my bag and started chewing on the handles.  Just another supermodel behaving badly ;-)

Bag:  Gucci
Boots:  Elaine Turner
Long bead necklace:  vintage
Short necklace:  Van Cleef & Arpels
Ring:  Bloomingdale's
Model:  Misty the Cat

It was another rainy night in NYC so I wore my old faithful ET boots, a Gucci bag I love that my mom got for me in Italy fifteen years ago and the aforementioned malachite jewelry.  My father got the long necklace at an estate sale and it's vintage.  It's not real gold, but I think it's genuine malachite.  The Van Cleef necklace is a limited edition malachite Alhambra and a very special piece. I got the ring in Bloomingdale's about a year ago.  I saw that huge malachite stone and just couldn't pass it up!

Here's a closer look at the jewelry:

Malachite jewelry


Friday, March 11, 2016

What I Wore: Shades Of Pearls

I went to a lovely dinner party last night.  It was at a private club so I wanted to dress up a bit, more than I would have in someone's home.  My hostess makes and sells pearl jewelry for charity and she put a bracelet at each place setting, which was a nice touch.  I already have some of her jewelry since she's generously given me some in the past, so I though pearl jewelry would be a good way to go.

I wore a cream colored jacket over a long black sheath dress and I mixed a lot of pearls of different colors.

I piled on the pearls 

Bag: Chanel
Long strand of pearls:  possibly Majorica (from Bloomingdale's)
Multi-strand necklace and bracelet:  Joan Rivers Jewelry
Watch:  Joan Rivers Jewelry
Brooch:  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Ring:  Vintage
Earrings:  unknown
Shoes:  J. Jill
Cord pearl bracelets:  Pearls4Purpose 


A close up of some of the accessories:


The brooch picked up the black and gold

My mother bought me several Joan Rivers
watches.  I like the goldtone hardware.

I love this tweed Chanel bag!  
I gave it to my mom for Christmas in 2002,
but she never used it, so now it's mine.




Saturday, March 5, 2016

Shades of Chanel

I wasn't looking to buy a new bag, in fact, I wasn't even shopping.  I was just walking home from an event with a friend of mine and we passed a shoe store and liked the colors of some of the shoes in the window.  I didn't even know what store it was until we looked up at the awning.   It was ALDO.  I haven't been inside an ALDO in years.  I remember ALDO as a store to buy inexpensive and comfortable walking shoes.  My friend wanted to go inside for a closer look, so we did and as I was looking around I noticed that ALDO has had an upgrade since I was last there.   A lot of the styles mimic top tier brands, without the extreme price tags.  Obviously the quality at say, Manolo Blahnik, may be better, but these shoes looked pretty good and I don't think anyone would be getting that close to someone's feet to notice.  There was a pair of cutout booties for $90 that looked just like a Jimmy Choo style from a couple of years ago that I really liked, but knew I'd probably only wear a couple of times a year.  I never bought the Choos, but for $90 the ALDO version seemed like a good buy, and I was making a mental note to myself to go back when I had time to try them on, when I looked up and saw a really nice bag on a top shelf.  I immediately thought of Chanel.  The color was what I'll call light beige or taupe and perfect for Spring and Summer.  It was $60.  I fell in love with the neutral color and the classic style.

ALDO quilted tote bag

Classy details like this goldtone chain and 
leather shoulder strap add lux

I have expensive, top tier brand bags, including Chanel, that I carry to events and business meetings, but I always have a couple of more moderately priced bags I use as "everyday bags" that I use when I run errands or run out for a quick bite with friends.  And they have to have an open top and lots of pockets so I can easily access my phone, wallet, shopping list, etc.  This bag had all of that:  an open top with two top zippered side pockets and inside pockets for smaller items.  The only thing mine doesn't have is the double C Chanel logo on the front.  But, the minute I walked into the hair salon with mine, my stylist said "nice bag!" 

I wasn't looking for a copy of a Chanel bag and I'm not going to pretend it's Chanel (obviously I'm sharing this with thousands of people!), but I wanted to share this, because it looks just like Chanel's Grand Shopping Tote in quilted caviar leather for a fraction of the price:  $60 vs about $3000.  It comes in black as well.  Believe me I would love the Chanel one, but a $3000 bag is not in my bag budget for Spring.  If my ALDO lasts through the Fall I'll be thrilled!

And, just for comparison here's the Chanel original version from a resale site and a blog:

From www.polyvore.com

From www.chicsacblog.com 






Friday, March 4, 2016

What I Wore: I Got The Red, White & Blues

Last night I attended two store parties for charity events.  I expected the crowds at both events to be pretty high end so I pulled out the "good stuff."  I also got great photos of other people's accessories, but I'll save those for my NYSD column.

Here's what I wore with a blue dress:

Bag:  Hermes navy Birkin
Shoes:  Navy suede YSL
Necklace:  Chanel
Bracelet: Verdura Criss Cross cuff
Earrings:  Tiffany pearls
Rings:  Pearl possibly QVC & sparkly X from Bauble Bar


Jewelry close up

The Chanel necklace is a really special piece and very unusual for Chanel, because the beads are red, white and blue and the Gripoix glass in the medallion is swirly.  I fell in love with this line when I saw it at a preview a few years ago.  Long story short, but months later I spotted this necklace at the Chanel boutique in SAKS in NY and used my AMEX bonus points to help buy it!

Chanel necklace

I love how the colors run into each other--very unique!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

What I Wore: Zebra With A Dash Of Color

I went to an exhibit preview at The Museum at FIT last night, called The Women Of Harper's Bazaar 1936-1958.  The vintage magazine covers were amazing!  So classy and refined with beautiful clothes.  If you're in NYC I recommend seeing it.  The exhibit runs from March 1st to April 2nd.

I always take photos at events for my column in The NYSD and report on the accessories other people are wearing, but I'm starting a new feature here to share how I accessorize when I get dressed up.  People always ask me what I'm wearing and where I got it, so now I'm keeping tabs on myself for my own blog. Last night I wore a gray dress with a long oatmeal colored jacket.  I thought it might rain (it didn't, of course) so I wore my black all weather boots and pulled the outfit together with a gray and black zebra print bag and a black sparkly necklace.  I didn't want to look too drab, so I added a pop of color with three enamel bangle bracelets.

Bag: Asia Bellucci from T. J. Maxx
Boots: Quilted moto style from Elaine Turner
Necklace:  unknown
Bracelets:  Hermes

Necklace and bracelets close up

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Guest Blogging for the New York Social Diary

Please read my column in The New York Social Diary today and enjoy the photos of Hermes & Gucci bags, vintage jewelry and lots more!

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/guest-diary/2016/accessories-diary-antiques-antiquities-epitaphs


Hermes Kelly bag, courtesy of Nicole DiCocco

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Southwestern Style

I love Southwestern style.  Living in NYC I don't get to incorporate it into my wardrobe too often, but I have some jewelry that I occasionally wear.  I was at an event the other night and thought turquoise and silver would dress up my all black outfit and add some warmth to a freezing New York night.  I added a Verdura cuff bracelet for polish.

Southwestern jewelry

The necklace was a Christmas gift this year and the earrings were a gift a few years ago.  This Southwestern Indian catalog has an amazing variety of gifts for a great cause: http://www.southwestindian.com/.  I especially love the jewelry.  When my father's family first came to this country in the 1850's they settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico and stayed there for 30-40 years before moving East to NYC, so I think my love of Southwestern style is in my blood.  I've been out West a few times and next time I go I plan to buy an authentic concho belt and maybe some cowboy boots.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Vintage Purse Mirror

The other day I opened my father's medicine cabinet and found some vintage shaving items and a really cool purse mirror.  I don't remember ever seeing this mirror before.  My father passed away almost twenty years ago and I still have not gone through everything.

Vintage purse mirror

The handle seems to be a jade or jadeite figure of a Chinese man.  It's stamped "Germany" on one side, so it has to be from the pre WWII era, otherwise it would be stamped either East or West Germany.  

Figure on the handle

Made in Germany

The mirror was in a leather pouch, which also looked vintage.

Mirror's leather pouch

I have no idea of the history of this mirror, but I'm going to poke around the internet and see if I can find anything similar.  The odd thing was that I found this on what would have been my dad's birthday.  It kind of feels like he sent me a little present!




Monday, January 11, 2016

Hermes petit h Surprise

Four year ago I posted about what was then Hermes' new petit h collection.  I wanted a piece of the new collection and bought a silk accordion necklace. http://www.accessorygeneration.com/2012/02/hermes-petit-h-collection.html

In 2015 Hermes petit h started a monthly surprise feature.  For three different price points, ranging from about $250 to $1800, shoppers can buy a box with a mystery item inside.  Hermes gives hints as to the colors and if the mystery item is appropriate for men or women.  And, the items can be returned.  After reading what some of the mystery gifts have been so far I thought it would be fun to try the $250 version one month.  So, my mom got it for me for Christmas and inside was another silk accordion necklace, but in red this time.  Considering they are selling on resale sites for over $400, it was a good surprise.

Aside from the anticipation of what was going to be inside the box, there was also the question of what would be on the outside.  Each mystery box comes with a leather animal decoration.  Mine was a turtle.  

Here are the step by step photos as I unwrapped the gift:

The mystery package arrived in a silver foil envelope

The box looked good!

The leather turtle on the box

The necklace inside

Another view

Close up of the pattern


All in all a fun mystery gift.