Hello Fall!

I found this article on Southern Living.com on how to trace a template to carve a fantastic pumpkin, and I had to share!

Step 1: After selecting your pumpkin, wipe the outer surface clean.

Step 2: Decide if you want to remove a round piece from the top with the stem as a handle, or remove the bottom of the pumpkin.

Step 3: For the "top" method, cut off the lid of the pumpkin at an angle. This prevents the top from falling in.

Step 4: Using the "bottom" method allows you to place the carved pumpkin over a candle or lights. Without breaking the stem, carefully turn the pumpkin upside down. Cutting about 1 inch in from outside edge, cut and discard bottom of pumpkin.
 
Step 5: If the flesh inside is very thick, gently cut or scrape away any excess to about a 1-inch thickness.

 Step 6: Templates use negative space to create designs. You will cut away the dark areas.

Step 7: Tape desired template to the "front" of your upright pumpkin. If you have trouble making it fit, cut small slits in edges of template paper to ease it around the curved surface.
 
Step 8: Using a thumbtack, straight pin, or wooden pick, poke holes about every 1/8; to ¼ inch along design lines on the edge you are supposed to cut.
 

Step 9: Carefully remove template. Save the pattern to use as a guide.
 
Step 10: Cut away the negative space along pierced lines.

Step 11: If a piece breaks or is cut in error, use wooden picks to secure it back into the design.
 
Step 12: To preserve a cut pumpkin, place "front" side down in a tub of cold water. Let pumpkin float and slowly fill with water. Soak up to 8 hours or overnight. You may add a tiny bit of liquid bleach to water to prevent mold. Immediately dry pumpkin when removed from water.

Step 13: Rub a coating of petroleum jelly on cut edges to hold in the moisture from soaking. 

Photos courtesy of Southern Living.

Flagship Fashion: Distinctly Burberry

Burberry just opened a new flagship store in London on the accessible, touristy Regent St. It is a “test” for future stores around the world, including Chicago (rumored to open in November).

Usually, luxury stores are quiet and tranquil. But according to Business of Fashion (BofF) who recently visited, “the cavernous space was buzzing with people… Everywhere we looked, people were trying on clothes, exploring the architecture or simply relaxing on sofas.”

Clearly, the inviting atmosphere is working.  And I’m sure Burberry hopes it will become a destination and a staple on “To Do” lists of the millions of tourists who visit London each year. Who would have thought that a fashion retail store could be a place to hang out and spend leisure time, not just shop? Now, that's my type of Barnes and Noble.

You won’t see security guards manning the doorways or afraid of being dismissed by snooty salespeople (as I always am).  Instead, customers are being lured in by technology (some are even comparing the experience to another cutting-edge store – aka Apple). Store associates are even armed with iPad’s to enhance a customer’s in-store experience. Ah, attention to detail that's not just in their clothes is refreshing.

“Showcasing the brand’s entire offering under one roof, the new flagship offers a wide range of price points and is organized much like a multi-brand department store,” adds Business of Fashion. “On the ground floor, a large main hall features an array of accessibly-priced items from the Burberry Brit line. The ground floor will also soon house a dedicated area for cosmetics and makeup line Burberry Beauty, while the brand’s significantly pricier fashion collection, Burberry Prorsum, is sold in a more intimate and plush setting on the store’s top floor.”

Being high-tech, allows  the brand to alter and update their store to instantaneously reflect their marketing campaigns that consumers are responding to. This “retail entertainment” and in-store experience makes Burberry “more than just a store for buying products, the flagship features museum-like brand exhibits and a veritable event space with a hydraulic stage and a full calendar of cultural programming, including monthly music gigs, soon to be announced,” according to BofF.

Well played, Burberry, well played.

Images via Burberry's Facebook page.

Effortless Aerin

I have a girl crush on Aerin Lauder. Check out Neiman Marcus’ Fashion Director, Ken Downing, chat with Aerin about her own cosmetic line launching this fall, and her “week day versus weekend” makeup. I want to buy it just for the packaging!  Another Lauder family homerun!

Glass Slippers

Christian Louboutin partnered with Disney to design a “Cinderella” shoe in honor of the release of the cartoon movie on Blu-ray this fall… which I’m sure all of you are going to rush out and buy. (Side note: aren’t all of his shoes techincally “Cinderella” shoes??). He used lace and Swarovski crystals in place of glass. Naturally.

FNO: One Night of All Things Fashion

Fashion’s Night Out will celebrate its fourth year tomorrow, Thursday, September 6. What are you plans?

Founded in 2009 by American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York, FNO has become a popular international initiative. The event began as a way to kick-start the Fall shopping season in the middle of recession, and now boasts parties, runway shows, designer and celebrity appearances, extended hours, live music, exclusive promotions and gifts with purchase, and much more, at retailers near you. According to FNO’s website, last year's bash featured events in eighteen countries and more than 4,500 events here in the States.

Here are the FNO 2012 deets on Dallas-area retail destinations:

Elements (4400 Lovers Lane): Make this top Dallas designer boutique your first stop of the evening. Their “FNO 1st Stop” party is planned from 4 to 7 p.m. – plenty of time to fit in tequila cocktails from Urban Taco, live music by DJ Fred Holston, swag bags, and free makeovers by Jean Paul Phillipe stylists (offered with purchase). And to top it off, 10% of sales that evening will be donated to the One Heart Project.

NorthPark:  NorthPark Center offers THREE runway shows featuring fashions from numerous retailers. And I’m especially excited about the Roberto Cavalli Red Carpet Retrospective (located on Level One in SouthCourt between Neiman Marcus and Dillard’s). Here, you can view a retrospective display of 16 red carpet gowns designed by Roberto Cavalli and worn by celebrities over the past 12 years, including Christina Aguilera’s fuchsia feather mini-dress worn to the 2001 VH1 Music Awards; the “Ming Vase” gown worn by Victoria Beckham to the 7th Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball in 2005 (see below); and gowns worn by Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Charlize Theron, Jane Fonda and Heidi Klum. Download NorthPark’s FNO brochure here or visit their Facebook page.

   

Victoria Beckham (image via starstyle.com)

  

Highland Park Village: In addition to extended hours, be a guest at two electric runway shows produced by Jan Strimple. Enjoy the luxury runway show at 7 p.m. featuring Akris, Carolina Herrera, Hadleigh’s, Jimmy Choo, Lela Rose, Pockets Menswear, St. John and Stella McCartney. Next up: the contemporary runway show at 9 p.m. featuring Anne Fontaine, Billy Reid, Diane Von Furstenberg, Five & Ten, Scoop NYC, Trina Turk, Tory Burch, and Vince. Free event/no tickets needed!

Galleria: The Galleria will once again create North America’s longest runway (a quarter-mile!), to be walked throughout the night by models and local celebs. In-store events, plush lounges, and spinning by Celebrity DJ Brandon Olds can be found at this north Dallas shopping mecca. More info here.

Tootsies: Sponsored by Modern Luxury magazine, Tootsies will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Guests are invited to shop “Micro Boutiques” edited by local fashion bloggers Jen Smith of Blank White Frames, Courtney Edwards of Where Wear in the City, and Genniva Bruce of Somewear to Be.

Cabe designer Kathy Rego will also make a personal appearance.

And for those in NYC, be sure to look up at the Empire State building which will be lit up in red to celebrate the event’s fourth anniversary!

Get the most up-to-date FNO details on Twitter at @FNOnyc.