Tag Archives: ALIVE at NYFW

HOW TO: Get an awesome haircut

As a beauty expert it is expected that you look the part. It is stressful at times and that’s why I leave my hair to other professionals. I DO NOT DIY when it comes to my largest accessory..my hair. Before my trip to New York Fashion Week I had my color done with perfectionist, Nina Lanasa at Thirteenth and Washington. She does a beautiful job creating a look that will evolve and grow out seamlessly. Knowing I would be making the trip to NYC I knew I def wanted to pay my friends at CUTLER a visit. So I did what any haircut craving woman in her right mind would do. I booked an appointment in advance!

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Tyson Kennedy is not only a cool dude but also one badass mother cutter. He works for CUTLER salon in Soho and also is responsible for the creation of FATBOY perfect putty. Tyson is the epitome of “looking the part”. With his perfectly tailored suits, smart looking glasses, and cool hair you just know your going to look awesome.

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SO YOU WANT TO KNOW “HOW TO GET AN AWESOME HAIRCUT”?

STEP ONE: BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

When I say book an appointment I mean call the salon or book online. DO NOT text or call your stylist on their personal phone. Think about it. If every one of their clients did that it would be highly agitating. Emails before your appointment are OK however there will be plenty of time to consult before your scheduled service. Save the back and forth changes of new cut ideas for your best friend.

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STEP TWO: KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE & WHAT YOU DON’T

For instance when I sat in Tyson’s chair I said, ” I like having long hair however I want you to cut what looks dead. If it needs to be a bob that’s cool just not a pixie please. I want healthy hair. It always grows. Also, I wear my hair messy. I like a tousled beachy look that isn’t too much fuss.” Tyson decided a long bob would be appropriate and I should maintain the length until my bangs grow out fully. He then used a straight blade razor to add texture, volume, and establish my new length. When you have no opinion whatsoever it is hard to know what may make you happy.

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STEP TWO: ARRIVE ON TIME

The easiest way to get an OK cut is to show up late resulting in a quick consult and maybe not even enough time to style.  With a fresh do it’s extremely important to learn how to recreate the style. Tyson instructed me to twist dry my hair and mess it up with FATBOY putty once dry. SUPER EASY! 10 to 15 minutes early is perfect. Relax a little read a magazine this is YOU time. I don’t know about you but the shampoo experience is always my favorite part. I would never want to be rushed through that!

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Backstage NYFW with Nathan Rosenkranz

I met Nathan Rosenkranz at the first salon I assisted at in Bethlehem, PA. Back then Nate was a great stylist behind the chair. Fast forward 8ish years he is now a Freelance artist in NYC working for brands such as Alterna and styling celebs like James Franco. It takes a lot of hard work and networking to get where he is today so it was very cool to hang and see him in action. When I reached out to Nate a few weeks ago I was hoping to interview him backstage at some of the shows he was leading. Instead, he asked if I would like to work on his styling team! Even better!

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I arrived to Lincoln center around 7:30am and found Nate and his team waiting outside the Salon tents. Everyone on his team was super nice! I could tell that it was going to be a no stress environment. In the past I have worked NYFW with another brand who will remain nameless and they were not so pleasant. I love everything about the beauty industry and love people who love it too so when someone is rude its a total buzz kill. THANK YOU NATE for leading such a polite team!

Around 8am we were given our passes and allowed into the tents to set up our workspace.

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Once we were all set up Nate explained the step by step of the look we would be creating for DEOLA’S Spring 2015 collection.

 

Deola Hair step by step @ NYFW Spring 2015

 

Here is one of the models I worked on! IMG_0156IMG_0161[1]deola
The final outcome was gorgeous! DEOLA is absolutely amazing. As a lead stylist it is important to work with the designer and decide what hair will compliment the garments. Nate nailed it! The hair was not only beautiful but also wearable. This is a classic style that would look great on any woman!
Deola Sagoe / Clan - Runway - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015Deola Sagoe / Clan - Runway - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015Deola-Sagoe-672x372

HOW TO: Travel the world and meet cool people.

So many times I hear “Wow! You get to do work on so many cool projects! I wish I could be like you!” Here’s my BIG secret. You can! The only way I have been able to travel and develop relationships with other successful people has been on my own dime and “Just Do It!” attitude. I will admit there are times when I want to throw up a little when I see the money I’ve spent however, it is money well invested. When you come up with a clear plan and purpose for any trip it is always so worth it!

My most recent trip has been New York Fashion Week for the Spring 2015 collections. I was invited by fellow blogger Lindsay Pattan, Marketing manager for ALIVE magazine, to travel with a group of local fashion bloggers. This made our stay at The Gem Hotel affordable. Not the most comfortable when you consider the amount of luggage fashion/ beauty bloggers travel with and how tiny NY bathrooms really are but the goal isn’t to hang out in the room.

Since my passion is beauty, lifestyle, and wellness attending all the fashion shows wasn’t high priority. Instead I wanted to live day to day life in Manhattan during fashion week and create content for this lovely little blog of mine. I scheduled meetings, interviews, and experiences with some of my favorite beauty professionals so get ready for a series of NYFW related posts!

To begin this series of posts let’s start with HOW TO plan for success…

STEP ONE: REACH OUT TO YOUR CONTACTS

Reach out to people you know that are involved in interesting day to day activities that you’re passionate about.

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Jorge Blanco & Joseph DiMaggio (Davines North America) were kind enough to make time to chat with me about all things Davines!

STEP TWO: RESPECT THEIR TIME AND SHOW YOUR PASSION

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Nathan Rosenkranz (lead stylist for Deola & Clan, Alterna Haircare) I asked Nate if I could tag along backstage and interview him for my blog and instead he offered me a spot on his styling team for the show! It was a blast!

STEP THREE: SPREAD THE WORD AND GIVE THANKS.

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I don’t like to kill trees with silly Thank You notes but showing gratitude is important. I’ve found these awesome note cards at Left Bank Books in St. Louis, MO. The card itself can be planted and it later blossoms into flowers! How cool is that?! That’s definitely one way to leave a lasting impression and be kind to mother nature of course 🙂

Stay tuned for more posts about my NYC trip!