me want candy!

I seriously ate nothing but candy yesterday. and I. am. ok. with. it. I had gone out the night before and got a plastic pumpkin head to fill with hallow's eve treats (read: reese's peanut butter cups, butterfingers and gummi severed body parts). andi and jen invited me along for tricks at the west hollywood parade so I was prepared with a confusing 1980's cat-ish/punk ballerina and a head full of candy to give out. I met the crew on roberston and santa monica who showed up looking so cute in their swiss miss and twisted lil' debbie costumes. we had a ghoulishly wild time walking around and taking in vodka shots and all of the funky and scary and clever costumes. the trick or trend rather, that I saw most of was a ton of britney spears (and her kids crying for mama), priests and 1 out of every 3 had something to do with a man's private part. the most clever was two men dressed as heavy ladies holding signs for the lost ellen degeneres dog, iggy. when the turned around, the dogs were stuck between the cheeks of their butt. hahaha. how cheeky. literally. hope you had a fun and safe halloween.

i'm a barbie girl in her barbie world

OMG!!!! the queen of cool, patricia field who you may recognize as the woman responsible for the wardrobe of such pop culture icons, sex in the city and the devil wears prada previewed her new line this morning at directives west. in collaboration with our american icon barbie, patricia worked alongside mattel to create a line of real-life, real-girl designs entitled barbie luxe by patricia field. the collection knocked my barbie pink socks off!

mad about madden

wanting to build out his global brand, steve madden made a special appearance this morning at the directives west fashion show: time to shine california and unveiled his newest line of spring 2008 dresses. you read it here first - our fave shoe guru is now doing clothes. and cute ones to boot (no pun intended. heehee) but what else can you expect from this master?

look out, it's LA!

wowie zowie fashionistas - I just got a glimpse of the fashion future and it is fiiiine. people put so much emphasis on l.a. fashion week but the real gem is directives west held at the california market center in downtown l.a.'s fashion district which allows buyers to make their purchases for what will be in the stores, spring 2008. more than fashion week, we're seeing the creme de la creme of california couture. it is here that you are getting a first glimpse of west coast chic. lots of short dresses (get a good razor), purple, silver metallics, leggins in different colors, bright colors, bold prints, patent leathers and funky little english hats. my stand out faves include baby doll dresses from voom by joy han and re:volve tees with a globally green message. start global cooling and give peas a chance.

georgie porgie and mrs. p

I love the crafty fun that is associated with our american commercial holidays! each season brings kitschy kitchen towels and scented candles of the hallo-christm-easter kind. this halloween is no exception in finding some holiday fun. finola recommended a great pumpkin patch in calabasas that S. and I hit up this weekend. we came back with the two pumpkins you see here, georgie porgie and mrs. p (who is tre exotique with her third eye bindi). I then made a pumpkin pie from our pumpkin family's innards (completely forgetting the sugar making for a disgusting treat) and got some pumpkin scented candles annnnd pumpkin ale from the grocery turning S.'s place into a pumpkin paradise (or maybe hell? bwahahahahhha).

suspenders surprise!

my hair stylist and good friend andi and her good friend, jen roop got me the cutest pair of skinny suspenders from urban for my birthday. not one to have considered wearing such an accessory, I gave it a shot tonite paired with high waisted bitten jeans ($14.95) and a models and bottles tee. I like it. I'm all in.

shiny happy sneakers

as an inexpensive and sparkly alternative to the chuck taylor, check out this fun find.

modern girls, HDIL and fashion week, oh mY!

yes, l.a. fashion week was here... and went. I did catch the sue wong show at the top of last week (which you can check out the exclusive footage for on youtube) but because of a tre busy work with the style network I was unable to get any other good shows in. no matter, I can assure you sightings of california casually-dressed kim kardashian, nicky hilton and bai ling were what this l.a. fashion week was all about. while the hollywierd hotties did their wanna-be haute thing, I was happy shopping with jane buckingham for a modern girls guide to gift giving. make sure to check it out on its air date the day after thanksgiving. I also worked with finola and the gang on a vintage-inspired how do I look? more details on that to follow. so fashion week for me was all about dressing and gifting modern regular girls which I'll take any day over a starlet in sweatpants sighting.

wicked winter wardrobe

the season's change as quickly as time moves forward and although we are at the beginning-ish of the fall season, trendsters are already thinking ahead of what to wear for winter. I like how the look is moving towards something that is a bit more camp. a bit more vamp. a bit more womanly za-za-zoooo as carrie bradshaw says. think darkly colored nails of blue, purple and statement silver. rock a flapper 'do or a campy mascara circa liza 1972. dress as viciously as dorothy parker's round table and buy a corset just to be smarty (a lovely sunday activity is carousing through local thrift stores). go dark and remember this trend won't last too long past the new year so a have fun being a new you.

style warz

I got down with my old friends, top couture designers and art punks extraordinaire, house of diehl a couple of months ago to participate as a judge in their newest live and in your face fashion experience , style wars. two budding designers, five minutes, mad-max style competition to the designer death. read all about it (and catch their nationwide tour) at their website. are you tough enough?

internet killed the video star

I'm trying to do this style webisode thang. what do u think? I shot this at the sue wong show the other day at smashbox from my front row seat (complete with sue wong interview). my man, mister wilson did the music and zachary weintraub did the edit. try this one on for size, it's super deluxe style.....................

right or wong

just got back from the l.a. fashion week suites and shows. really loved the black with gold detail look of the boulevard bags in the design suites. also thought heidi merrick's line of clothes were country club cool with a twist. jack rabbit's chanel inspired handbags were so of the moment with tassles and buttery leather and hovey lee's eco-friendly jewels can save the world (or at least yourself from bad accessories). had a front row seat at the sue wong show. she is such a class act. most of the collection followed her high art eye but I was surprised to see so many pieces made for the young and thin. she certainly tried something new following the l.a. trend of colorful and interestingly shaped, but it was nothing a girl who needs a bra (or something to eat) could rock. ms. wong however is a stand out, stand up designer who I respect, so maybe next time she'll hit the elegant for everybody mark.

gooooooooal!

last night, S. and I were invited to a fab event for sassy shoe maker, faryl robin. faryl put together an awesome event that included the l.a. galaxy, martinis, posh & bex and her fab new line of fall shoes. we got to event suite 2 at the home depot stadium after kick-off (watch out for traffic if you're planning a trip there!) but that didn't stop us from enjoying the game, meeting new style friends or checking out the fabulous line of footwear that faryl robin has created. unfortunately, faryl robin was out sick and couldn't enjoy her own event but she did send her stylish vibes our way with frequent video visits on skype (get better!). inspired by fairytales gone wrong, her line takes on a vintage feel with a modern girls sense of fun fashion. great colors, buttery leathers and interesting heel work make this line worth a throw down with a wicked witch. a true statement for your tootsies, her shoes are uniquely one-of-a-kind and will have all of your seven dwarves asking, "where'd ya get that?". p.s. we did see becks, we did drink martinis and we did get to see the galaxy win over the toronto f.c. thanks to karyn, lia and lara for the invite!

purple rain

I did it. I caved and bought a trench. after all the stir I spit about not thinking it was appropriate outerwear, I found a really cute satin-y purple version at target for a very affordable $40. it's perfect for l.a. fall weather and really slims the silhouette. plus, its got the great collar I can pop. so, to follow the previous post, I highly recommend trying the trench on for size.

baby it's cold outside

having just spent the month in new york, I became quite acclimated to the brisk fall weather. I was able to correctly assess the temperature then successfully add the appropriate outer layer to my wardrobe. mets game in the nosebleeds - track suit. birthday dinner with friends - pashmina wrap. montauk weekend trip - my boyfriends oversized wool sweater. I came back to l.a. thinking I'd find an indian summer filled with cute button down sweaters and the occasional custo barcelona wrap. wrong! it's cold here. not what I expected at all for early october but then again who knows what the weather is doing these days. that said, what is a girl to wear in this semi-cold weather purgatory? here's a five point list of what one should consider to look extra cool in the (not too) cold...

1. love the swing jackets. those cute little 3/4 sleeve duster pieces that really play up shape and add as much or little color as you'd like. plus, it adds a high level hip factor to anyone's ensemble.

2. I love a double-breasted topcoat in a thin fabric for a form-fitting chic look. think jackie o. hits the new york public library. this season's jewel-toned colors like deep purple and royal blue mixed with plaid or houndstooth add a sophisticated pop of color.

3. a few posts back, I wrote of heidi klum in that lovely floor length kimono style sweater jacket. although we may not pull off (or find) such an item, an oversized wrap sweater in cashmere and gray is great for a luxuriously casual pulled-together look (and keeps you cozy to boot!).

4. I love a little bit of a rock n' roll so a fitted leather blazer or jacket that cuts at the hip creates a perfectly edgy rock star look.

5. anything metallic will surely have you looking out of this world. peacoats, a classic trench or leather bomber in silver, distressed gold or bronze is a trend wonder. a fun statement to add for this season.

et voiLA!

mercedes benz fashion week l.a. is coming in strong and for a first time in a while, I think they are getting it right. it's short, sweet and to the point with provocative designers showing from heatherette to randolph duke to jeremey scott. I hope to get a front row seat to give you all the good fashion dish. cali fashion week certainly stands alone with its casual vibe and loose rules. you better work, duuuuuuude.

first magazines first

I had a very fun photo shoot for first for women magazine in nyc today. it started off with a long island car p/u and a trip to the warren-tricomi salon for hair where I learned that the hair trend du jour includes bobs and cuts close to the head (think katie holmes' short 'do). I then hopped in a cab downtown to the loft 05 space on broadway where the shoot was held. the theme was holiday party makeovers and I had the pleasure of working with a terrific team including makeup artist sonia kashuk. we did up the ladies in deep jewel-tones and silver sparkles. I kept in mind a pants look, something to flatter the tummy (a wrap dress) and a really fun fuschia frock. they also caught this picture of me goofing around on the set. look for the story hitting stands everywhere, december 13.

sailin'

me and S. were in montauk for a wedding of a buddy of his from nyu baseball. since it was out east and at a yacht club, the boys decided to dress to the nines in yacht club chic. should you want the yacht club look yourself, stick with blue blazers with gold buttons for the boys and pearls for the girls.

party like it's my berfday

last thursday was my 31st birthday. I am no longer a twenty-something. I am a full grown adult and as my mother so lovingly puts it, inching towards my 40's. bring it on. anyhoo, I was fortunate enough to be in new york to celebrate and celebrate we did! my boyfriend, S. put together a spectacular day that was kicked off very early in the a.m. with presents from my parents including a kalologie on robertson gift certificate (laser hair removal anyone?), betsey johnson shoes, a victorias secret gift card and ralph lauren polo blue for men (I roll like that). from S. was a great I heart new york bag (coz I do), a one-of-a-kind hello kitty tank, a mixed tape and a book (found on our san fran trip). we then headed into nyc to the ettia day spa uptown for my facial/sugarscrub/massage birthday combo. wow! this place is not a well-kept, oprah approved secret for nothing. great services on a dime. afterwards we had lunch at the new york institution, tavern on the green. we then headed over to tiffany to pick up a trinket which was a gift from my sister (who was already back in geneve). I opted for a silver venetian link bracelet. the store , blue bag and jewelery piece were a terrific part of a terrific day. by now, we're exhausted but still had the piece de resistance to attend. saundi planned a dinner at cuba on thompson for 10 of my nearest and dearest new york family and friends and we got down with the hand rolled cigars, live music, mojitos AND A FUDGIE THE WHALE CARVEL CAKE!!! until we closed the joint. it was an amazing birthday filled with such amazing presence and presents. I am now 31. I am blessed.

maybe next time

sickstick

this was scary news, especially because I love my chanel rouge lip so so much...

For all you lipstick users
DO YOU WEAR LIPSTICK?? - PASS ONTO WOMEN YOU KNOW & CARE ABOUT
Something to consider next time you go shopping for lipstick......
This comes from someone who works in the breast cancer unit at Mt. Sinai Hospital , in Toronto . From: Dr. Nahid Neman

Recently a lipstick brand called "Red Earth" decreased their prices from $67 to $9.90. It contained lead. Lead is a chemical which causes cancer.

The lipstick brands that contain lead are:
CHRISTIAN DIOR
LANCOME
CLINIQUE
Y.S.L
ESTEE LAUDER
SHISEIDO
RED EARTH (Lip Gloss)
CHANEL (Lip Conditioner)
MARKET AMERICA-MOTNES LIPSTICK.

The higher the lead content, the greater the chance of causing cancer.
After doing a test on lipsticks, it was found that the Y.S.L. lipstick contained the most amount of lead. Watch out for those lipsticks which are supposed to stay longer. If your lipstick stays longer, it is because of the higher content of lead.

Here is the test you can do yourself:
1. Put some lipstick on your hand.
2. Use a Gold ring to scratch on the lipstick.
3. If the lipstick color changes to black, you know the lipstick contains lead.

Please send this information to all your girlfriends, wives and female family members. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Dioxin Carcinogens cause cancer, especially breast cancer.

happy bday nicoliolio!

it was nicole's bday on tuesday and she had a lovely evening planned for the NYC possee. we started out at a free flamenco class then headed over to the restaurant, peasant. on the way, we got to walk thru the san gennaro festival and partake in the chocolate covered bananas, italian princess t-shirts and "carnival games" that took all of our money (they're rigged! don't do it!). dinner was delish and the company even more so. happy birthday nicole! and many more...

swinging from the chandelier earrings

me and the fam are watching the emmys right now. I was bummed not being in l.a. getting in on the emmy lounges that boast all of the latest and greatest red carpet accouterments. what I have noticed from my red carpet couch is that most ALL of the women are piecing hanging chandelier earrings with plunging necklines. its a great look for evening and one that can certainly work for any upcoming events or holiday parties for you.

the italian family zaino

whew! fashion week was a whirl of editors and fashionistas and wonderfully delightful fresh looks of fitted silouhettes and flowy, metallics for sring 2008. I truly had a blast working the scene and hope to make it back for next season. since I was in new york, I thought I'd take advantage of chillin with my family. my sis caitlin surprised me by flying in from her home in geneva switzerland, so its quite a treat to have the whole fam at home on long island. my mom is busy in the kitchen cooking thanksgiving dinner (we've decided to celebrate tonite) while my dad oohs and aahs over a donovan dvd he purchased on PBS while I download iTunes (bjork, kanye, hindu chants for meditation) and my sister all the while, plays the ukelele to cap off our zaino family soundtrack.

ditch the mood swings and the sweat pants!

I was up before sunrise to greet hair and make-up at the hotel before I started a national media tour for YAZ this morning. YAZ is birth-control that goes BEYOND birth control to eliminate bloating, moodiness and give you clearer skin even when its "that time of month". this applies to fashion because we are moving away from the casual look of last season and moving forward towards a more form-fitting look. think pencil skirts, fitted trousers and skinny jeans with a chunky oxford heel. I did phone interviews with maryland, seattle, detroit and more to talk fashion week and YAZ and it was too much fun yucking it up. especially with the male DJs who become incredibly uncomfortable when discussing women's main issue... fashion.

hola custo

fashion week has been such a blast. to see it up close and personal is much better than reading about it and certainly gives me a much stronger understanding of what trends are emerging. metallix. check. oxford heels. check. bronzer make-up and nude lips. check. crest patches and scarves. check. check. and check. I was fortunate enough to get a coveted front row seat last night to the the custo barcelona show. his designs are made wth a sexy, international flair so it was no wonder that it was vibrant contrasting colors, sheer farics and high heels all around. they even gifted the cool scarf you see pictured above where I am posting this to you now. ole!

snap. crackle. pop.

meg d. says rice crispy treats are the new cupcakes. and if trendster meg d. says it, it must be true...

models are people too

part of our fashion week coverage with stylewiz included asking the models backstage what their beauty secrets were. they are after all, consistently putting on and taking off make-up including that special monthly week where their faces are prone to acne. most of the girls backstage were really sweet and open to share their tips from making sure to sleep enough to shu uemuras miracle make-up remover. lots of the girls (who don't look a day over 14) read, text or even (yikes!) EAT!? I saw more than one stuffing down a cupcake. the moral of this story is that even though they're models and inches taller and skinnier than most, they still are women with the same womanly issues we all face. even face issues.

trendster for men

my ultra-hottie boyfriend S. is one snappy dresser. really. he always puts a good outfit together with his unique mix of urban chic. fitted shirts, beautiful sport jackets and his favorite puma flip-flops or timz (you can take the boy outta brooklyn but you can't take the brooklyn outta the boy). we often discuss the lack of choices men have when it comes to fashion. well, I am here to report that I saw a male fashion trend emerging at this week's fashion week (and where better to spot the newest and coolest?). men with a crisp button down, tucked into a "skinny" jean or pant with a shortened length over a european oxford. of course it takes an open-minded man to test it out but I think it looks great and certainly gives men an alternative option to the baggy jeans and t-shirt look.

my oh! mya

so, I was up and at 'em early yesterday morning. meg and barbara came up to my hotel room for hair and make-up and by 2pm I was ready to hit the tents with the stylewiz production crew. the tents are of course, a scream with fashionista, editors and fashion wanna-bes galore. we got to sample the samples like haviana flip-flops and mac make-up (bronze and natural lip are so the new makeup trend!). we even stopped in on the moet room (flowing champagne is a necessary accessory at fashion week) where we ran into mya. we got a great interview and she told of us of her all around beauty secret - vaseline! she uses it for everything from her make-up remover to a foot salve. we also shot a ridiculous pic together (shown above) that has her looking like a wax doll and me looking like, who the heck knows what...

vma

its late and I'm tired so I'm winding it down to head to beddy-bye before our big bryant park tent debut but before I do I just wanted to quickly comment on the vmas from last night -- brit. OMG! was she drunk? she called that one in but I dont think her phone had reception. chris brown was a performance wiz. love that rihanna but her pink dress was uncomfortably tight and she couldnt walk in it - her stylist should' ve known better. more later. time is up on hotel lobby computer. cest le vie. sweet dreams.

live from new york, it's jess zaino!

I'm finally at ny fashion week, babeeee! I came in last night from lax to cover the fashionable week for my lovely friends at YAZ. I'm staying a t a really cool hotel, toted to be a "fitness hotel". have you ever such a thing? ginko biloba tea in the morning followed by an intense workout with a fitness concierge. and all before 9am. that'll certainly keep the endorphins running. the huge suite with 360 views of the city don't hurt either. there is an excitement in the air at the tents as we explore a more feminine and powerful silouhette for spring. my advice is take your newest season trend ideas from st.john girl, angelina jolie and say buh-bye the to the barbie look of paris hilton. tomorrow I hit the custo barcelona show with my new YAZ friends. I'll keep you posted. love, jess

three french hens

and the fashion week rolls on... today held some heavy hitters, tracy reese and vera wang included. tracy reese is the champion of the every girly-girl with her lovely silhouetted pants. one pair had 10 buttons up the front panel!?! that's enough to button up the mouth of miz star jones who was sitting front row and center. vera wang did her usual silky, jersey, drapey, comfy fits and fabrics. and a personal cocktail party fave of mine, ports 1961 showed a giraffe-like alek wek in shimmery silver, golds and ivory.

deux

looks like day two brought in shades of grey/gray (what IS the correct spelling of that elusive color?) paired with bright, intense splashes of color for the woman coming out of her shell. keep an eye out for finnish model suvi kaponen who is the newest CK ad girl. tonite is the fashion rocks! show at radio city with huge guest celebs and jeremy piven hosting.

spring 2008 ahead

today was the official kick-off day for new york's most fashionable and fabulous week, ny fashion week. if you don't already know, they show in the fall for the next year's next season. what?! yup. we're already at spring 2008, so take pre-trend note. today's shows included rachel roy, rag & bone, marchesa and hollywood starlet fave, BCBG. it was at the BCBG show, that we continued to see metallic colors of silver, white, greys, ice blues and plums. and it looks like the lady-like trend of a womanly silohuette continues, so leave the jeans for when your "aunt flo" comes to visit. I'm heading to nyc to report from the front lines this sunday. so until then , I'll keep you up to date on what goes on your nice or never in a million years fashion wish list.

auf Wiedersehen

this morning whilst shopping for nail polish remover, a fan (for my unair-conditioned hotbox of an apt.) and vogue's annual 800-page issue, I saw a tall drink of fabulous woman in the baby section. she was wearing tight gray skinny jeans with spiky high black heels. draped over the jeans, was a fabulous, kimono-style black studded floor skimming cover-up and her hair was in pulled up braided twists. I thought, my goodness, what a sight! I must know who this woman is! as I inched closer to tell this magnificent creature how lovely her ensemble was, wouldn't you know, it was heidi klum!! girl was working it. I myself was wearing pink sweatpants and my boyfriends old tee-shirt, so I decided to hold off on the sycophantic introductions for now. auf Widersehen.

the next child star

I just finished up the week working as the on-air stylist/"brand" consultant for vh-1's newest celebreality show, the next child star with danny bonaduce. its a show danny created and its rife with drama and hope and catfighting and celebrity. my manager, the enchanting and enigmatic, miss marki costello is co-hosting (think the female simon cowell but hotter and better) the show and when it called for a style expert, the producer was a friend of mine and it all fell in to place. the first day at the valley manse, I had to meet with the parents and remaining contestants to discuss and create a "brand", like a young beyonce or a catholic sarah silverman. afterwards I headed to the glendale galleria to shop for the looks requested. five hours of shopping and I am here to report, if you are lil lady reading this or if you're a mama with lil' lady - the most versatile and fun store for the tween set is limited too. we hit up pumpkin patch, nordstrom kids and gap kids and everything I was looking for (fuzzy slippers with bling, knee high socks) and more was found at the limited too. so, if you're still doing some school shopping, now you know where to go. how the looks turned out, you'll just have to wait and see it on teeeeeeveeeeeeeee.

how do I look?

last night was the celebration of 100 episodes of style network's how do I look? can you believe it!? one hundred episodes!! that's a big deal in teevee land. I was around for episode five so obviously it holds such a special place in my heart to have watched it grow into such a success. finola hughes is a tremendously talented hostess who has entertained millions making HDIL the longest running show on the network. the party was held at social and they had yummy cupcakes and fruity drinks named after the cast and crew members. and of course, it was a pleasure to spend time with all of the people for who I am so greatful for having given me my start on the network. namely deana delshad and renee simon. happy 100. you don't look a day over 21.

spectator sport

I was in target the other day and saw the cutest pair of spectator heels for $26. that sure beats the price of the pricer hot trend at $300 or more. thing is, I didn't get them and now they are gone. darn shoes. where did they walk off to? will they come back to target? I hope so because this is the PERFECT example of a trend. these shoes won't last past the next season, so buy 'em cheap and then discard of them when you have fabulously walked them into the ground. pair them with opaque black tights or menswear-inspired trousers.

holy sheet!

I need your help on this one. I just got done doing my laundry and I think I've figured out an appropriate combo of detergent/cleaner sheet BUT! I'd love to hear what you guys are putting in your whites to really whiten things up. I currently use the most yummy smelling oxy clean, which I thought would whiten but no such luck. the smell however is to die. for the dryer, I throw in some lavendar scented method dryer sheets from target. it softens while it dries so thats a double whammy. for the most part, I do not dry the clothes in the dryer, I stick to airdry as it preserves the life of the garment. while I'm at it - if you're taking your things to the drycleaner, make sure to take the clothes out of the plastic immediately, as it does not let the clothing breathe and will ruin the piece. I was using the laundress for a while but I did figure paying $25 for a bottle of detergent seemed a bit too excessive as I'm sure the budget fashionista would agree. hey maaan, if it will whiten my stuff up (cleanliness is godliness), I'll go to great financial lengths to make my clothes look, smell and last great.