I honestly do not remember where I first spotted Mr. Kate’s jewels. All I know is that I emailed myself a link to an ear cuff, which sent me down a path of roses and weirdness.

For all of the above and more, click Mr. Kate.

I met Leandra Medine, aka the Man Repeller, at a NYFW soirée hosted by Barneys New York. Young and talented, her voice is familiar, no doubt. One that carried its tune into the big leagues with a book, Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls. Well, kids, I’ve finally cracked opened the tome and recommend taking time to do so, too. Ms. Medine is hilarious and honest, evolving from chubby cheek child to a stylish, gold lamé jumpsuit wearing branded force of nature.

Image Credits: 1. Courtesy of Barneys New York 2. Jenny Graham

Some daily candy pour vous. A friend from Los Angeles wore this ring, by Adin & Royale, days after I saw this well-styled post on Harper and Harley. Seeing is believing.

Image Credits via Harper and Harley & Boticca.com 

Fashion week is a wrap. The majority of after party fizz I encountered consisted of wine, top shelf tequila and champagne. Lots of champagne. I can appreciate a sip, bubble and shot, but sometimes, even amidst glamour, the real craft is a craft beer. Go ahead and try a Redhook IPA, ye shall not be disappointed. Oh, and also: drink it while wearing something from Marc by Marc Jacobs’ RTW Spring 2014. I imagine all of it will pop a hop in your step.

Image Credit: WWD

Breakfast at Barneys New York with the effervescent Simon Doonan is the only way I prefer to begin a week of fashion. A precedent for good company, creative banter and the embodiment of fun chaos has been set. As Christopher Muther of The Boston Globe said, “Doonan is the David Sedaris of the style universe.” I couldn’t agree more and I can’t get enough.

The author of several books, contributor to Slate.com and Creative Ambassador for Barneys New York, Doonan is hysterical, charming and honest. Over green juice and parfait, the scribe shared some fashion lullabies from his new book, The Asylum: A Collage of Couture Reminiscences…And Hysteria, to a room full of fashion editors and bloggers. All of us had a crack at him with questions. A handful of insights follow below, and of course, I asked my favorite JBD question:

What will never go out of style? 

Simon said: The weird thing is nothing ever seems to go out of style any more. Everything is concurrently available: western, hippie chic, uptown glam, sexy secretary…this is not a bad thing. It means that each fashion consumer can create her own style, she can do an 80’s retro feel, a vampy tramp or whatever…it’s a great time for personal expression. I should emphasize that you will not find it all at Barneys. At  Barneys, we focus on chic and luxury and glamour. We are very proud of our exquisite edit. But if you are talking about the entire fashion landscape then, yes, stuff no longer goes out of fashion. Trends arrive, and then they never leave. Examples? Here’s two: ripped jeans and leopard print.

On beginning a writing career at age 46: I don’t have a problem motivating myself to write. It’s a function of having a second career. I think: I have to get going here. If I had taken up tap dancing, I would be performing wildly every day.

On writing this book and his Dad: He had a great sense of humor, but wasn’t into fashion. And, I thought: what would be amusing to him? 

On people from “nowhere” making it in fashion: The scrappy outsiders with fire in their loins, they have always made it into fashion. Balenciaga, the original guy, was from a fishing town in the Basque Country. It’s the outliers…their creativity and vision is enough to drive them into fashion.

On becoming part of the fashion community: The idea of transformation is what excited me at an early age. My mom was born in rural Ireland and left school to be a pork butcher…then transformed herself into a 1940’s glamour-puss. I thought it was so great, this idea of repackaging yourself to feel good.

Image Credit: Skip Bolen for WireImage via The New York Times 

Imagine the level of whimsical excitement Dorothy felt in her ruby slippers along the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard of Oz. Now times that by nine hundred and see me in a Barneys Co-Op high black sandal walking the streets of midtown Manhattan, moments before meeting former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld. The entire experience should have been far from ordinary, yet the eagle eye style mogul made the extraordinary opportunity feel like a conversation between two friends who love fashion.

“Mademoiselle C” chronicles 90 minutes of Carine’s launch of the first issue of her new magazine, CR Fashion Book. Her inner circle of friends, including Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Mario Testino, Riccardo Tisci, Diane Von Furstenberg and Alexander Wang, all make appearances. As I said to Carine earlier this week, c’est tout cela et plus encore.

Did you know Mademoiselle C would be so personal?

When Fabien Constant asked me to do the film, about the first issue of CR, I thought yes because it will be a birth of the film and the birth of CR. I did not realize it would be so personal. I was a bit shocked when I saw it for the first time.

Of course, I’m just meeting you now, but I can already feel you are warm of heart. In the film, you are so vulnerable. In the scene when you are practicing your split in dance class, you say: “It hurts so much, but you can’t let it show.” There is some truth to that as it relates to women in our industry. What are your thoughts about the idea of ‘never let them see you cry’?

I think, you know, I’m tough with myself. Always. I try to push, all the time, through the more difficult door. It’s also true for the more chic things, too. Don’t show it’s difficult. It’s the same when you are preparing for a party. Maybe it takes two hours to get dressed but you want the look as if it took two minutes. Easy. Easy is what I want. Even when I’m working with Karl Lagerfeld I have to prepare everything before, so when we go into the shoot it seems, for Karl, so easy.

Effortless?

Yes, effortless. Yes, I think this is a good thing. I think because this is a proper business you have to arrive cool.

Your obsession with babies and birth, or rebirth, are a theme in the film as a result of the focus for the first issue of CR Fashion Book.  I’m curious, what are you obsessed with today, September 3, 2013?

I’m obsessed with the new issue coming out. It’s all about hope and Caravaggio. I’ve become obsessed with his paintings. It’s about redemption. It’s exciting because when I’m obsessed with something, I learn. And, I love to learn. I learned all about Caravaggio. The people in his life, his ideas. It’s very important for me to keep learning.

Where are the ideas coming from? What inspires you?

From you! I’m looking at you. At what you’re wearing. Thinking where is this shirt from? I like the detail on it. I always look at people. And people think I’m judging them, but I’m not. I’m not judging anyone. I’m just curious. And when you look, this sense of observation, it’s a way of thinking. I’m very near life. I’m not creating a lot. It’s just what I see in life. Wherever I am.

You’ve mentioned you are superstitious. I am, too, and I’m curious if you remember your dreams. If so, do they influence your creative process?

Oh, I’m very superstitious. The dreams? Unfortunately, no. I would love that, but no. I am a dreamer and I try to make my dreams happen. To make a story. With a person, a photographer, a magazine. With this film.

What about with this film?

It’s really important to believe in it. For this film, it shows it’s possible to be a mom in fashion. It is possible.  Friendship is possible. I’m very lucky. When you see my relationship with Steven Gan, my friend of 15 years, I didn’t know what he would say about me on film, but I discovered the truth of the dream of two friends to do a magazine together. We have a lot of fun. He makes me laugh so much. So, the film shows friendship is possible, motherhood is possible, it’s hope. It shows you can be crazy, and I’m crazy, but also the important things. I’m always there. I respect people, I will be there if someone dies and pay last respects. Maybe it’s the education from my Dad…

Are these the qualities you would never want to lose?

Yes, and it is what I try to teach my kids, too. To be very respectful, to make their own choices, to work hard. To not work for many employers. Free is to be on your own.  Even though I listen to everyone very carefully and I respect everyone, at the end of the day it’s my instinct. I follow my instinct and I’m always right with it.

What will never go out of style?

My God. Style will always exist…all around the planet…when I think of style, I think: I love clothes. Some people think fashion is very superficial. When I was young I thought if I said I want to work in fashion people would think I had no interest in life. And finally, I realized it is an interest in life. For me, when I see shows like McQueen, fashion is art. To work with artists is very important to me. And, the art of dressing. Sometimes you don’t feel well, but you put something on and you like it, and you feel much better.

Your Singular Beauties piece was wonderful. Can you talk about the core of your idea of beauty? 

Seeing all the same girls in all of the same shows, that is boring to me. Beauty is everywhere. I like character, personality. For me, it is not possible for someone to not be beautiful. I always find something beautiful in each person. I believe that. It’s hope. The theme of my next issue. Hope.

This interview has been condensed. Image c/o Cohen Media Group.

Hooray! It’s my favorite holiday, New York Fashion Week. I’ll be sharing interviews and photos soon enough. In the meantime, get all of your NYFW information here, here and here.

Red and white. Then and now.

From Jean Rosemary Shrimpton in 1979 to today’s Sarah Jessica Parker, Oscar de la Renta knows what a woman wants. And, what I really want is to wear this beauty.

I had never seen so much seersucker than when I vacationed in Bermuda. Second place goes to all of the dudes I know from college in New England, and coming in with the bronze medal are the men in my family. Personally, I love me some Seersucker in Brooklyn. Comfortable and easily washed, seersucker was the choice for the summer service uniforms of the first female United States Marines during the Second World War, who knew? Also perfect for tabletops, neck adornment and a swim in the sea.

Seersucker may be bought here: Cocktail Napkin Set / Bikini / Tie

Logo image credit: Seersucker Brooklyn

Because every woman needs a little Goot in her life…

For more of this Australian designer’s collection, click here.