StyleSpy with Katrina Szish

Last night's New York Supper Club holiday party met my (high) expectations.  A great space (the ground floor of Starck on Gramercy); an entire table piled high with chocolate treats; artisenal cheeses from around the globe; a vintage bathtub filled with icy champagne bottles; rockin' tunes; and superbly-dressed revelers (if I do say so myself).

Here I am -- wearing Reem Acra's velvet dress as planned -- with Julie Haus (in her own design). 



'Tis officially the party season!

I am suddenly loving velvet again.  I know it's a holiday wardrobe staple, but for some reason it has felt stale the past few years.

Now I want to swath myself in it.

I wore this black velvet Tory Burch Riella tunic on the CBS Early Show yesterday morning (we did a segment on what to wear to a holiday work party).

Riella Tunic, $695 at ToryBurch.com

I'm also drooling over these gorgeous gowns from the Fall collections:

ELIE SAAB
Biasion Studio/WireImage

OSCAR DE LA RENTA
Michelle Leung/WireImage

I have also made a personal decree that I will wear some form of the smooth stuff --  preferably in bright hues, even if just in the form of a shoe or a bag -- to every holiday event I attend this season.

Case in point:  I plan to sport this crushed velvet, chartreuse Reem Acra dress to the New York Supper Club holiday party tonight.

REEM ACRA
Thomas Concordia/WireImage

Check back tomorrow for stylish snaps from the event!

I realized how serious this Red Carpet Workout was going to be when last night I was instructed to "get some real sneakers."

And to think that for years I believed my Nike Air Rifts were real sneakers.   

Meet Alex Reznik, the former Russian Army trainer turned holistic fitness guru, who has created The Red Carpet Workout just for Style Spy and InStyle.com.

In addition to learning about sneakers last night, I was weighed (I am demanding a re-weigh tomorrow when I have had adequate time to recover from falling off the food wagon during Thanksgiving) and measured -- both with a tape measure and a body fat calculator (I will not be sharing those numbers) -- and debriefed on what Alex's customized Red Carpet Workout entails.  Then I was led through a Pilates-focused cross-training workout by Alicia, the Complete Body fitness manager, whose soft spoken style belies her hardcore, meticulous workout ethic.  In other words, she kicked my butt.

Alex has assigned an entire team to monitor my every move.  I'm simultaneously terrified and thrilled.  I will be working out with a trainer three to four times per week (while Alex oversees), of which at least one session will focus on Pilates exercises for lengthening lines and strengthening my (wimpy) core.  I will be doing a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio per week, right here:

The weekly cardio requirement jumps to 200 minutes if I can only manage to meet with a trainer twice.  I despise cardio.

But here's where it gets interesting:  My weekly routine will also include meditation and relaxation exercises.  Logging time in the gym's steam room is actually a requirement, as is adequate sleep.  Alex's fitness philosophy is a comprehensive mind-body experience (hence the name Complete Body Development).  While working to strengthen and tone my body, we will be doing the same for my mind -- but not in a New Age-y or wavy gravy way (that would send me running for the hills).   

It turns out one of the key components of this process is stress reduction -- something from which all of us, no doubt, can benefit.  Did you know that stress makes you fat?  I didn't.  Apparently stress increases the release of cortisol (dubbed the "stress hormone") into the body, which -- according to Alicia, Alex and myriad medical researchers -- raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels, ultimately encouraging fat storage. 

So today I am trying not to stress about how bad it is to be stressed, especially because I am always stressed.  I am also enjoying the pain in my abs and thighs, because it means I am finally headed in the right direction. 

After work, it's off for 50 minutes of cardio, followed by a healthy dinner (more on the whole food concept tomorrow) and perhaps some downtime with Mr. Husband...if I can stay awake that long.

In years past, today would mark the beginning of my official Christmas countdown (29 days!).   And I would celebrate with a glass of champagne and some gingerbread cookies.

But this year, I'm launching a different countdown.

I call it THE RED CARPET COUNTDOWN.

47 days till The Golden Globes!
89 days till The Oscars!

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

For the next six-plus weeks, rather than munch on cookies and drink champagne, I will undergo a self-imposed fitness overhaul.  Let's face it: part of being a stylish woman is being a healthy woman.  There's nothing wrong with increased shopping stamina, plus spending less on cocktails leaves more to spend on shoes.

I'm tired of resolving to get in "the best shape of my life" year after year and never quite pulling it off.  It's time to just do it, already.  My fitness resolution starts now, and I intend for it to be the last one I ever make.  I'm going to wake up January 1st well on the way to being in "the best shape of my life."

And come the Globes (January 13th) and the Oscars (February 24th), I will not be gulping down lemon-pepper water in hopes of last minute Master Cleansing (been there, done that).  Instead, I will be ready -- both mentally and physically -- to do my job on the red carpet.  Brand new bod, brand new outlook, brand new me, for the 2008 red carpets and for all red carpets in years to come.

So...how is this relevant to you? 

All of us walk down "red carpets" in our lives, even if it's not en route to the Kodak Theater.  It could be your wedding day, a high school reunion, a major career event.  And, most of us are tired of "cramming" (figuratively, of course) to get in shape before a big event.  We want to get in shape and stay in shape.

The Red Carpet Countdown is not a "sit back and watch the blogger play guinea pig" occasion.  This is a "get up and join the blogger" occasion.  And, to get us in shape, I have enlisted the help of health guru, celeb trainer and creator of the Complete Body fitness philosophy, Alex Reznik (this man's bio is unreal...from Russian Army fitness instructor to Deepak Chopra's personal trainer.  Check out the whole story HERE). 

In fact, Alex has created a custom workout -- THE RED CARPET WORKOUT -- just for Style Spy, which means you will be privy to every detail of this specialized fitness and lifestyle plan.

I officially kick off The Red Carpet Workout tonight -- I'll be meeting with Alex after work to find out exactly what he has in store for me (and for you).  I fear that calipers, scales and tape measures will be involved...

Check back tomorrow for the gory details and for the first installment of Alex's Red Carpet Workout.

LET THE RED CARPET COUNTDOWN BEGIN!!!

"Lips" iconography is having a resurgence in fashion and home design.

Lips got loudest in mainstream fashion, design and pop-culture in the 1970s.  Gufram of Italy released the mass-produced lip couch -- described by some sources as an homage to Marilyn Monroe, but by most as a reinterpretation of Man Ray's "Mae West" couch -- at the start of the decade. 

Image from ChildrensMuseum.org

At the same time, Yves Saint Laurent created his often-reinterpreted "Hot Lips" print, which Helmut Newton instantly immortalized in 1971 when he shot a model wearing a lip-print blouse on the cover of British mag Nova.

Also in 1970, Robert Altman introduced us to "Hot Lips" O'Houlihan, the pouty-mouthed nurse played by Sally Kellerman in the film M*A*S*H.  (The character was inspired by real-life head nurse "Hot Lips" Hammerly who served in the Korean War).

20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

In 1972, we met "Hot Lips" again, this time on the small screen.  The character was renamed "Hot Lips" Houlihan (sans the "O"), and the role was reprised by Loretta Swit (above) who appeared in 232 episodes over a span of 11 years.

1975 brought The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It may be 30-plus years later, but you don't have to scour Ebay and vintage stores (or watch re-runs) to get your kitsch-fix.  There are a slew of new treasures you can get right now. 

Find an updated version of the lips couch -- called the Bocca -- at Retromodern.com.

$900 at Retromodern.com

Or, get off the couch and go glam with this snakeskin clutch from Lulu Guinness (also in metallic silver).

About $400 at LuluGuinness.com

You can even go crazy and carry your clutch with this dress from Tuleh (now hear this: matchy-matchy is so wrong it's right, particularly when done with irreverent self-awareness)

Carlo Buscemi/WireImage

Ensure sweet (and sexy) dreams with these pillowcases from Kitson.

$25 at Kitson.com

Get him in on the action with Fornasetti sterling silver "Kiss" cuff links.

$485 at Barneys.com

Kisses can by comfy, like this sweatshirt by artist Tara McPherson for Kid Robot.

$150 at KidRobot.com

Goldfinger is sooo 40 years ago.

Jules Smith Kiss Kiss Necklace, $247 at Shopbop.com

Kiss it and make it better.

Adhesive bandages, $8 at FredFlare.com

New Year's Resolution:  Have your feet kissed every day.

KVD sneakers, $40, available January 1st at Vans.com

Now this is lip service.

Hot Lips phone, $26.60 at CircuitCity.com

And now, the bad news:  Christian Louboutin's limited edition lip wedges at Net-A-Porter are already sold out. 

I'm keeping a stiff upper lip.

IN RESPONSE TO LAST WEEK'S POST, "FOUND!  THE BEST HIGH-WAISTED JEANS," KALAMARI ASKED:

Can/should plus sized women wear high waisted jeans?  If so, does anyone make them?

STYLE SPY SAYS:

Absolutely.  High-waisted jeans can create a long, lean look for all.  Plus-sized women should look for styles with full, fluid legs in darker shades of blue, gray or black.  Avoid skinny, pegged ankles and light-colored denim.  Make sure the hem covers the shoe and is almost even with the floor.  I checked in with stylist Alana Kelen for some where-to-buy advice, and she immediately suggested H&M.

I "HEART" ERIN FETHERSTON.

Particularly, her new collection for Target.

Starting November 18th, the platinum-haired design darling -- and Berkeley native turned Paris expat -- will treat smart shoppers to feminine frocks and fripperies that inspire the aesthetic fantasy of how a young Catherine Deneuve might have styled herself on the heels of a shopping spree in Harajuku.

In this collection, Fetherston put her hearts on her sleeves...and dresses and scarves and coats and jewelry and, my personal favorite, this over-sized tote ($29.99).

Why not plan your Valentine's Day wardrobe in advance?  Or, at least snap up some pieces you're sure to love.

On Friday, November 16th at high noon (seriously), Japanese housewares/lifewares company MUJI will open the doors of its New York City flagship, their first freestanding store in the United States.

The New York City flagship, ready to be unveiled

The minimal, no-frills brand was born in Japan in 1980, but I met and fell in love with Muji in Paris in 2001.  Sleek, well-made, intelligent design that is also inexpensive?  Sign me up! With every trip I made to Europe, I would seek out a shop and stock up on porcelain serving pieces, socks and make-up bags.  I was most smitten by the industrial-sized lint rollers, the precious refills for which I would hoard until my next trip abroad.

Porcelain Salt & Pepper shakers, $11 for the set

My desire was slightly sated several years ago when the MoMA Design Store began carrying a capsule collection (mostly office and travel supplies) of Muji goods.  But where was the perfect porcelain?  The sheets and towels?  My coveted lint rollers???

The Soho store, 455 Broadway between Grand and Howard, will carry over 2,000 items in its 3,200 square foot space: furniture, stationery, housewares, fabric, outdoor supplies, health and beauty products, electric appliances and clothing.  I have a good feeling about the lint rollers. 

Inside the Tokyo flagship store

Ash bed frame, $556.75 for full/queen

Besides offering great design and great prices, Muji is also dedicated to reducing waste and conserving resources.  Upon opening, the shop will launch the "My Bag" program: Shoppers who re-use their canvas Muji bags will receive discounts and rewards.  At the store opening, the first 500 customers will score a free "My Bag" along with a Muji gift.  If you miss the opening giveaway, you can still shop smart and earn rewards -- the "My Bag" sells for $1.

So shop your heart out without wiping out your wallet or the environment.

Just don't hog the lint rollers...

I am baffled by the speed at which the holiday season is approaching.  So baffled, in fact, that my brain is a week behind schedule.  Case in point:  I had been looking forward to attending The 10th Annual Moth Ball -- a gala event benefiting The Moth, a creative non-profit organization that celebrates and perpetuates the art of storytelling (learn more here) -- for weeks.

Plus, my design/decor idol Jonathan Adler was going to be there, and I would be meeting him for the first time.  Besides being a collector of all things Adler and a frequent visitor to The Parker Palm Springs, I even borrowed some hues from his signature palette as inspiration for the design of this blog.  So this was an exciting moment for me.

I knew the event was slated for November 12th, of course, but I had convinced myself that that was next week.  Imagine my surprise when I turned on my computer Monday morning and realized that it was, in fact, November 12th, the day of the fete. 

Immediate reaction:  WARDROBE PANIC.  I had planned to plan ahead!  I was going to wear, well I hadn't decided yet, but I had time!  A whole week!  And I was going to be meeting Jonathan Adler!!! 

Suddenly, that week became a few hours.  Yet apparently the style stars were smiling upon me, because the PR team at Reem Acra worked a miracle:  they loaned me a dress that was even more perfect than if I had actually, well you know, planned it.

Ta-da!

I made it.  Here I am, all smiles with Jonathan Adler and his hubby, Barney's Creative Director, author and arbiter of chic, Simon Doonan.  I was so starstruck that I completely forget what we talked about.

Just kidding.  I was starstruck, but I do remember our chat.  We laughed about Jonathan's penchant for kitschy-cool treasures like gnomes; I told Jonathan and Simon that I recently installed swings in my living room (find out why in (my bible) his book, My Prescription for the Art of Anti-Depressive Living); and Jonathan waxed poetic about the perils of the color beige and his preference for the outre.

Garrison Keillor, author and radio personality, was presented with The Moth Award: "Honoring the Art of the Raconteur."   You can't see the statuette, or my dress for that matter, but both were outstanding.

Apparently my table-mates from Gawker were (almost) as impressed with my Reem Acra frock as I was: they posted this snap of me and Mr. Husband on Gawker.com (Thanks, Josh!)...

Even cooler, award-winning Gawker photographer Nikola Tamindzic (tall, dark, handsome and Serbian) showed me his technique for creating swirly effects just like he does (above).

Turns out I can create those effects using my bare-bones digital camera (Nikola has a high-tech camera with a funky extra flash).

Check out the picture Nikola took of me and Mr. Husband with my camera...

Now, check out the picture I took of Nikola and Mr. Husband while showing off my new skillz (yes, skillz with a "z").

Guess what?

Style Spy is about to get a whole lot swankier.

***See more of Nikola's work at Ambrel.net***

ALL I WANT FOR

CHRISTMAS...

IS THIS!!!

Gap has created this limited edition Crazy Stripe 2007 LX50 Vespa, and I simply must have it.

Mr. Husband and I already share a black one, but I've been longing for wheels of my own.  I was thinking bubblegum pink, but I've officially changed my mind.

$5999, custom order

VISIT GAP.COM FOR DETAILS

CHECK OUT MY COMPLETE HOLIDAY WISHLIST AT STYLEHIVE.COM