Fabric to Finish

Hey hey bloggers!

Last week I was able to sit and listen to Jamie Koff, the president and founder of Fabric to Finish, Inc., speak. Like usual I never really know what to expect with Study Tour but it never fails to blow me away.

Her ambition and her drive was very inspirational. Her story made me want to achieve more just like she did. Her story goes to show when you want something badly enough and go for it, it's possible; if there is a will there is a way! Jamie had many difficulties growing up as a student having to fit a certain persona with her family, and I can relate to that so well. My sisters are either studying medicine, chemistry, or business, and then there is me who is studying fashion, which is extremely important and I love it so much, however, some people may not take me serious, so it is tough. Also, as a KSU fashion student, there are more obstacles coming my way as opposed to a FIT or Parson's student because they are able to have access to the fashion industry right here in the city. Jamie graduated school with a degree in English, however she had a passion for fashion and followed her dream anyways. Jamie has worked for J. Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sean John when she finally decided to open up her own company. 

Jamie was actually fired from J. Crew but that never stopped her. Your life is not going to be perfect with a smooth transition from job to job, the reality of it is, is that being fired can happen and will happen, but you cannot dwell on it. You need to take that instance and better yourself from it.

The most important thing I learned from Jamie was to be persistant and to be yourself. By being herself Tommy Hilfiger created a position for her because they loved her so much! Do not be shy either because in the fashion industry you need to be a good communicator and have good interpersonal skills.

Are you a sponge or an arrow? The answer to this is be both! Have the absorbency of a sponge by always listening and being aware of your surroundings but also be an arrow with a strong head and determination. 

It's very easy for my generation now to get ahead and have access to opportunities but is this access/open door taking away from our drive? Jamie had to do everything the old fashion way because internet was not a common thing at the time. People would literally have to hunt  for opportunity and there isnt much of that anymore.

In the end to sum up what Jamie was trying to tell us students was to be true to yourself, earn respect, don't necessarily break the rules but you just need to understand professionalism. Have tough skin and be resilient.

I was honored to listen to Jamie's story, I hope the other students took as much out of it as I did!

Still - a look into the making of knitwear

Hey hey fashionistas!

Last Thursday I has the opportunity to get an inside look at Stoll where they create garments for designers. It was pretty neat seeing how these garments are made because as a merchandiser I never gave much thought to how a garment is constructed. Our tour guide took us through the space and showed us sample garments that are made there. We also got to take a look at the machines, which were very large scale. Honestly, that doesn't surprise me because when you think about it, to produce a lot of garments you need something that is large scale. Another interesting thing about Stoll were the classes that they offer. I'm a firm believer in always continuing your education even after you received a degree because there is always something to learn and in an industry like the fashion industry, it's constantly changing and evolving. There are many untapped areas of the fashion industry that some people have not really gotten into, so it's great to know Stoll is somewhere you can go to learn and grow. Also, the fact that they offer the classes at a discounted price for students is amazing.

Overall it was an enriching experience to learn the construction methods of garments. Even though the clothing samples they showed weren't my style in particular, I still appreciated every moment of it!

One Month Down

Hey hey bloggers!

So I've officially spent a little over a month in the city, and what a month is has been! Never in a million years did I imagine I would be doing what I've been doing here... well at least, maybe I kinda knew this was the life for me, but I didn't know I would obtain it so quickly! From the Hamptons, to the Meatpacking, even all the way up to Inwood, and almost everything else in between, I have marked my spot there. With only one month down and three more to go, I'm very excited to see where else I venture. Everyday is a new adventure and I'm loving every minute of it; actually scratch that, I'm loving every second!

Being here, I've come to the realization that this is truly where I belong, and I'm not just saying that because this is NYC and mostly everyone wants to be here, but for me it's much more than the surface of the idea of the city. Every single morning I wake up and I am so happy; every single day! Back in Ohio, I definitely did not wake up happy every single day. And it's funny because being here in NY, yes I am broker than a joker, but that doesn't even matter to me. I am still so, so happy. I guess I've mastered the art of just barely getting by and still being fabulous, maybe I'll write a book? The things I have done, the people I've meet, and most of the places I have gone to, broke people don't usually go there! I guess I'm just lucky, but I am extremely thankful.

So let's break down a couple of the amazing things I have done so far! My very first weekend here was a little shaky because we arrived when the infamous Hurricane Irene came raging through the city, oh, the horror... It was just a little rain, but it was nice to mingle and meet the other students lodging in the New Yorker Hotel.

It wasn't until the next weekend when I really started to live up that NYC lifestyle. Lucky for me, a friend of mine in Ohio connected me with one of her dearest friends in the city who took me in and showed me around. We went to PhD at the Dream Hotel down on 16th and 9th; a rooftop penthouse lounge with amazing views of the city. From PhD we hopped in a cab and headed to Lavo. Lavo is a hot club located in the upper east side, more towards the lower end of things though. Lavo was bumping and we were right there experiencing it all by the DJ booth. Another perk? Endless bottle service and champagne. It's funny that we started the night off at Dream because I literally felt like I was in a dream, and I didn't want to wake up! The next day, Charlotte invited me back to Dream to attend a small pool party, more like a pool gathering honestly, where I met some really great people and just spent the day relaxing by the pool. Who couldn't ask for more?! That next Sunday Charlotte asked me to accompany her to the Hamptons, I've never been so of course I jumped at the opportunity! The Hamptons was simply amazing, the weather was perfect, and it was a great way to end summer in general and begin my NYC life!

After my amazing "first" weekend, I consider it my first because the weekend of my arrival just didn't count in my eyes, my life was in full swing and I was ready for classes and interning! During the day when I had nothing to do I would just walk around the city and get lost in the places and faces that I would see around me. When you're new to such a big place like Manhattan, honestly the best thing to do is just explore. There is so much to do, not even a tour guide book can help you out, so you really need to just throw yourself out there and experience things for yourself. So on my free time all I would do was walk and I ran into some pretty cool things. Lovely little parks, Bob Dylan's apartment (once upon a time), amazing street art, quirky little cafes and restaurants, cool little vintage stores, and much more.

If you're looking for gourmet pizza but don't have the money to spend definitely check out Two Boots on west 11th at 7th. I ordered "the Dude," considered their cajun bacon cheeseburger pie which consisted of tasso, andouille, ground beef, cheddar, and mozzarella - so delicious! Other pizza's they feature go under the names of pop culture icons, for example: The Newman (sopressata and sweet italian sausage on a white pie), Tony Clifton (wild mushrooms, sweet red pepper pesto, vidalia inions and mozzarella), and Mr. Pink (marinated chicken, plum tomatoes, fresh garlic and mozzarella) - my mouth is watering as I type! And they deliver!

Get more cheap eats at Taco Bandito on 8th avenue, it's kind of a hole in the wall but a hidden gem of the Mexican food genre. Cheap AND good eats, and it's authentic. They have fast free delivery and the food is always fresh. I got the chicken quesadilla and guacamole nachoes, and it was simply delicious.

If you're a doughnut connoisseur like me, you CANNOT skip out on Doughnut Planet located at 23rd street between 7th and 8th. So many doughnuts, all so delicious, and they have a plethera of organic juices. I always go with the vanilla bean doughnut, very sweet, pretty big, and perfectly glazed. They feature all sorts of crazy flavors so everyone's bound to find the sweet treat for them.

Another great place that deserves a looking around is the Chelsea Market. So many interesting little stores, shops, restaurants, and bakeries. If you love the smell of fresh baked bread, that reason alone should have you stop by because the aroma fills the place! And there is always a free sample table, free = amazing.

If you've found yourself in the NYU area and are in need of a latte or just a chill place to work on some homework, get free Wifi, and avoid the insane amounts of people that you find at Think Coffee, then mosey on over to Gizzi's Cafe on west 8th between 5th and 6th. The interior consists of brick walls, wooden floors (my favorite combination of the interior design world), the menu is drawn in chalk, walls have funky little pieces of art, and the music is a combo of techno club, but daytime appropriate (if that makes any sense!) Anyways, to accompany the music there was a video mash-up of vintage Chaplin films that fit the music very well. I ordered an iced Chai and it was probably one of the best Chai lattes I've ever drank. Price wise, it could be compared to Starbucks, but the sizes are bigger, so its actually worth it. Plus they also serve food and alcohol. I didn't venture to that end of the menu, but I'm sure it's amazing.

If you're looking for a late night snack after a night of club hopping in the Meatpacking, you definitely need to head a little uptown and hit up Cafeteria on 17th and 7th avenue. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day, but during the late hours of the night that's when things get interesting, and you might run into a celebrity or two. Honestly, I think nothing goes better with eggs than a drag queen or two! Kidding, but the cool club atmosphere is still there but just toned down a bit. If you do go and have no idea what to order let me just throw out this suggestion for you: MACARONI AND CHEESE!! Trust me, this mac and cheese will change your life. Three different flavors of baked mac and cheese? Is there really any questions here? Just get it!

Speaking of the club and nightlife my favorite spots to hit would be RdV, Juliet, SL, and PhD at Dream. There are a ton of other places, but those in particular always bring out the best! RdV is hands down my favorite spot. Its this exclusive underground lounge with an antique, vintage look. It's a small place so it's a little exclusive, which is nice.

Other fun clubs to check out would include Avenue, 1Oak, Tenjune, Lavo, Plunge at Hotel Gansevoort, the Jane Hotel, 675 Bar, and Kiss n Fly.

Other great places to check out in the city include the obvious: Central Park, Union Square Park, Washington Square Park, SoHo for the shopping, Madison Avenue for the shopping (if you can afford it), Madison Square Park (check out Shake Shack if you're out there, but make sure it doesn't rain!), Highline Park, and Brooklyn Bridge just to name a few. This spots are great places to just get lost and walk around. They're nice little get aways from the city while still being in the city.

Like I said before, I feel very lucky to be able to experience all these amazing places that I have thus far and I look forward to what is coming up next. As I meet more people and make more connections, my time here is only going to get better and better. If you're in NYC and have no idea what to do, the city is your playground. Get out and about and experience all the life this city has to offer!