Three East Village Shops with Coats to Die Faux

Edited by Jessica Lapidos

Inspired by Kate Lanphear lauding the East Village as her shopping stomping grounds, I plucked my bum up off the interwebs and hit the road. I dropped myself off on E. 9th Street and journeyed eastbound and up. What struck my fancy in a few stores in particular were the awesome caliber of faux fur jackets, which usually just strike me as faux pas. In case you don’t have a few thou to spend on a few animals’ worth of jacket, try these real life finds in these fantastic indie boutiques.

A Dozen Reasons To Shop At Reason

Edited by Samantha Lim

Six years in the making, Reason Clothing (who by the way is having a killer 50% off Cyber Monday sale today) is the manifestation of best friends Jon Price Totaro and Phil Bassis.  What started out as a graphic t-shirt line out of their Lower East Side apartment has blown into a full range of men’s clothing, showcased next to their favorite vintage finds in their newly minted namesake store on 9th Street, a mere block away from where they started.  

STREET-ART FAVES: Photos to Entice the Urban Explorer

Edited by Irina

Culture-bots all over NY have an opinion about their favorite spots to oggle street-art and this zeitgeist reporter is no different. This year has been an especially exciting time for the country’s most controversial canvasses. Between the Banksy documentary, news that graffiti mecca 5 Pointz will be closing, and the “Art in the Streets” exhibition at LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the walls and buildings in the five boroughs have been getting just as much attention as any runway during fashion week. We’re here to help you feel included in the conversation – to make sure that you can throw down with an avenue (or two) that boasts tags, colors, and something truly special or unique. In the spirit of the museum round-up we presented a few weeks ago, here are some noteworthy spots to view urban Picasso’s throughout New York.

Dress Your Memorial Day BBQ Bright

Edited by Jessica Lapidos

Be the hostess with the mostest or the best dressed guest this weekend. If you’re BBQing about this Memorial Day, check this guide to ring in the warm in style.Warning – if you’re country clubbing, you might need some more coverage. But as this is FashionIndie, we’re going to guess you’re grilling on your rooftop (maybe illegally), possibly in the East Village, probably in Brooklyn. If you’re lucky, you’ll be near a body of water. If so, slip a bikini under it all.

INTERVIEW: Satya Twena, Architectural Milliner

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

Satya Twena didn’t fall into design by mistake. Raised in an eclectic family of artists, the appetite to create was in her blood from the very beginning. After years working in the interior design business, Satya decided to test the waters of the fashion industry after realizing her great love for millinery. Lucky for us, her architecturally-inspired hats designed with experimental materials are truly wearable art. I got the chance to sit down with Satya and chat about her family history, vertical inspiration and the rise of the fascinator.

INTERVIEW: Colette Malouf, Inspired by Family, History & NYC

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

Colette Malouf is a lifetime New Yorker. Born, raised and currently creating in SoHo, she has been surrounded by the energy of emerging artists, both in her neighborhood and family, her entire life. There was never a shortage of elegance or grace in Colette’s home, and we are lucky to have that sophistication translated into her gorgeous hair accessories and costume jewelry. I met Colette in her beloved neighborhood for lunch, and she painted beautiful narratives of shopping with her father, Sundays at her grandmother’s and what she would wear to a cabaret in 1920.

The Top 10 Vintage Haunts In NYC That Won’t Rob You Blind

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

I have to sympathize with New Yorkers who don’t know how to thrift. If you’re paying $100 for a no-name sundress or $80 for Doc Martens riddled with holes, you’re doing a poor job. As a child born and bred in the Midwest, I learned that 80s beaded silk evening gowns should cost $15 and vintage Fendi bags should only set you back $30. So in a city of extremely overpriced vintage stores, what’s a girl (or guy) to do? Take it from the master and check out my top 10 vintage spots in New York City where you can get the best merchandise for the lowest prices.

The Uglier The Better – These Christmas Sweaters Are In High Demand

Edited by Amanda Gabriele

If you’ve attended an “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party” in the last few years, you’re part of a growing trend returning to holiday nostalgia. Searches for “ugly Christmas sweaters” are up 30 percent in December compared with last year, according to Google’s research tool Insights for Search.

I’m Over It: Puma Future Cats

Edited by Kirby Marzec

Just about a month of living in the East Village and if I’ve learned one thing, it is this: never make eye contact with people you pass on the street. Instead, look at their feet. But all of this foot-looking has got me a little worried about the American taste in sneakers.

On my three block walk to dinner the other night, I spotted 33 pairs of Puma Future Cats (that is, 11 per block and 11 too many). But God forbid I say everyone wears Puma Future Cats. Red Pumas. Lime-green leather Pumas. Leopard print suede Pumas. High tops. Low cuts. Laced. Unlaced. There are far too many options when it comes to these conformist sneakers! Are we really that desperate for a pair of sleek Euro sneakers? 

Okay, so you’ve been living in Pumas for the past six years…now what? Let me make a few suggestions. Opt for a pair of Bikkembergs, Pony or Diesel kicks. Unique, Euro, stylish and they will set you back just about as much as a pair of Pumas. Do us all a favor and put the cat to rest.