'American Glamour'

A testament to the expertise and imagination that marks American fashion history, creations from well-known and fledgling American designers form part of a dual exhibition now at The Musuem at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology).

More than 75 pieces that date from the 1930s to the present represent “American Beauty: Aeshetics and Innovation in Fashion.” “American Glamour: Fashion, Freedom and Igenuity” features 15 pieces from 15 American designers like Halston, Bill Blass, Isabel Toledo and the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte.

A pink blush gown from Charles James in 1953 that experimented with shape and contouring, to a floor-sweeping crimson strapless gown from Halston in 1976 that satisfied our aesthetic sensibilities are examples of some of the designs now on display.

Curators of the exhibitions, Deputy Director Patricia Mears of FIT and vintage expert Clair Watson sought pieces that reflected pioneering efforts in dressmaking and tailoring, in addition to ornamentation, engineering and geometry.

But unlike other exhibitions, this one – which opened Friday and will run until April 10 – is unlike any others of its kind…

First, the FIT exhibition gathers video commentary from fashion heavyweights like Hamish Bowles of Vogue and Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein.

And for those die-hard vintage shoppers, museum-goers can shop their favorite pieces from the exhibition – the graphic Campbell soup print dress reminiscent of Andy Warhol from the mid- 1960s and psychedelic cotton twill Geoffrey Beene mod dress from the 1960s – both on sale at yoox.com.

The “American Glamour” sale on yoox.com, which has partnered with FIT to create the two-part exhibition, keeps the love of vintage alive. Not only are these vintage pieces a rarity (what are the chances of finding another of its kind), but proves that real American glamour goes farther than sportswear.

According to Holly Brubach, creative consultant YOOX special projects, the exhibition arrives “at the perfect time.”

Here, here, Ms. Brubach.

-S. Gonzalez

'Bow Out'

In just three short weeks, Thanksgiving will be upon us and so will the holiday season.

While you wait for the rest of those gift guides in the mail, time to take stock of the ribbon, tissue and wrapping paper. Perfect your gift wrapping technique, or else it’s going to be a long holiday.

Here is a recipe I learned from fashion stylist Nancy Alusick for crafting the ultimate bow – whether you need a gift show-stopper, or a decorative touch on flower arrangements and curtains.

What you will need:

- 3 Yards Ribbon of your choice (a wire-edged ribbon is easiest for beginners)

- 6 Inches of Wire

How to:

1. Take the end of the ribbon and fold a piece of it downward in a loop, so you have the folded piece lying on top of the length of the ribbon.

2. The folded piece’s length will determine how big or how small your bow will be. Fold accordingly depending on your needs.

3. Now take the length of the ribbon and have it facing you. Where the length of the ribbon meets the folded piece, twist at that point.

4. Make sure that when you twist, the back of the length of the ribbon (which wasn’t facing you before) is now facing you. Smooth out the ribbon.

5. This will form the first loop of the bow.

6. To continue, you will want to hold onto the center of the bow – where you just made the twist.

7. Take the end of the ribbon that had just been twisted, bring it up and bend into a loop.

8. Twist at the center, where you fingers should already be holding the ribbon.

9. With two loops already complete, continue until you have your desired bow.

10. Take the wire and tie around the middle of the bow (shown in picture above). Once secured, you can now fluff the ends of your finished bow.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of decorativepackagingblog.com

'A Homerun World Series Party'

Yep, you guessed it. I’m a Yankees fan.

As the 2009 World Series unfolds tonight during Game 4 in Philadelphia, with the New York Yankees leading the Philadelphia Phillies by 2-1 wins in the seven-game matchup, emotions are running high.

Will the baseball gods let my Yankees slide to their 27th World Series Championship game? Or will they favor the Phillies, the defending champions?

If a victory depends on how many times I tip my baseball cap forward during a run or pinch my ears during a pitch, I’m going to need more people.

Let the World Series party begin!

Setting the Dress Code

Have your guests wear baseball attire from your favorite team. Don’t have any gear? Provide guests with your own party supplies that let your guests show their support.

How to Decorate

Hang up a Yankees-Phillies banner outside your door or balloons to let friends know where the party is. A home plate is a must to welcome guests to a World Series party. Make your own concession stand and score board. Post pennants and posters on the walls. Decorative cups, napkins and plates are a must. Baseball-related party favors of all kinds are welcome.

What to Eat

Save the buffalo wings for the Superbowl. The World Series is all about serve-yourself Cracker Jacks, hot dogs, peanuts, beer, soft pretzels and mustard, nachos, ice cream and other soft drinks.

What to Sing

‘Take me out to the ballgame’ during the seventh inning stretch, of course!

How to Play

As the professionals battle it out on the field, there’s no better time to set up a house party pool predicting what the final score might be. How many runs from each team during all nine innings? Let everyone chip in money for the grand prize to the winner.

Who to Root For

The Yankees, of course!

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of themdudes.com