You may recognize her; she’s the woman who invented chic, always has her sunnies on and has never seen a split end in her life because her hair dresser is on call every Friday at 3pm. She is goals.

I know Nanna more than most, and that’s because she’s my fashion nanna. She birthed me in some way and luckily gave me an internship at Vogue in the accessories department when I was just a little fashion toddler. Back in those days they sent a car service for all of my errands which I found to be incredible chic and thoughtful. It was the era of the Balenciaga gladiator wedge and those things were almost impossible to walk in for more than 3 blocks. So luckily I was always in an air conditioned car, sipping my skinny ice latte, and chatting with my driver Ramone who had some real chauffer T.

Nanna is legendary for many reasons but mostly because I think of her as this kind of fashion dinosaur that has been around so many fashion era’s. She tells me stories about sitting in the whispering chairs at Bergdorfs while having Jardin Bleu tea and firing waiters for not serving her on the correct side. Which personally I don’t blame her for.

Recently she’s been very vocal about the red carpet. Like the actual carpet, like where it’s from and what color rouge it should be. But as you’ve seen on my insta-stories (if you haven’t seen, go on my insta page in the “highlights” section to check it out) she’s been having these amazing recaps and judgments about what people are wearing to the biggest fashion events. She’s right 100% of the time, and people are now comparing these highlights to a better, more modern, more fun, fashion police! Well, At least that’s what my fans say.

Nanna is already preparing for the Met Gala in ways you can’t even imagine. In April and May she gets New York city itself prepped. Like I’m pretty sure she gets uber heli’s to sprinkle some kind of cleanser into the air so that the city itself is ready for the Met Gala. I mean try getting a facial appointment at Mario Badescu in April/May and they’ll literally laugh over the phone, in Russian. I’ve made that mistake once, so now when I do actually want to get a facial I have to fly to Hong Kong.

Because of her super powers, she is able to control everyone who not only goes to the Met Gala but the team behind the guests who are attending the event. For example, she has informed every make up stylist to not over bronze her guests like a particular person that rhymes with Shmelina Shmomez. Sorry I hate to name drop, so rhyming will have to do.

I’m excited to see what everyone will be wearing this year, especially since this year’s theme is a little unclear, but Nanna will be there for you guys reporting live from the event. So make sure you tune into my insta-stories to see some praising and mental breakdowns!

 

During Paris fashion week, Aimee Song posted a video of her in the back of a car with Eva Chen and Shiona Turini, FLAWLESSY matching one another and just being the most. They were each dripping in hues of Purples, Pink, and Burgundy and it was just a street style fashion moment waiting to happen. And it did happen and it was perfection.

I clicked on Aimee’s video because I wanted to know how she was beating Instagram’s new algorithm. For a moment, my likes and my views on my stories were all of a sudden oddly declining. At this point I was posting once a day, or every other day, maybe 2-3 Insta stories, and was just getting really frustrated why people weren’t seeing my posts.

After watching the video I had this AH HA! Moment.

Eva Chen was right… the more content you put out there on instagram, the better. We have to post more.

She actually said it so much better, like in a Oprah way,  “I have a baby at home. I don’t feed my baby once every two days or once a week because the baby wouldn’t grow and for many people, instagram is their baby so, FEED YOUR BABY!” 

So I said to myself, ok Eva, let’s try and feed my baby (instagram is still the baby in the following scenario btw) five times a day and see what happens.

I started to post my step by step drawing process on my insta-stories, roughly around 8 videos on average, 1 post per day, and was slowly getting back on track.

Then I learned that you also have to be more engaging on instagram as well. So additionally to uploading stories and posts, I had to like and comment on other people’s photos to add to my engagement rate.

However, if I just posted a photo on instagram without any stories, it wouldn’t get as many likes as the others.

I was literally testing every possible instagram scenario and then I finally got my “You get a Like! and You get a Like!” Oprah moment:

So this is how I’m kicking the new Instagram Algorithm in the Tuchas:

I post my entire process on my insta-stories (roughly 8-12), then I post a photo, I also like, comment, and reply to all of my fabulous and gorgeous fans et voila! Insta-GOLD!

I hope my mad scientist approach to this was helpful to you as it is to me!

xo

 

You know what’s really interesting? My mother loves Mothers Day but now hates her birthday. When I wished her “Happy Birthday” literally three weeks before Mothers Day, she let out a deep sigh and an eye roll over the phone. I could hear her ice cubes surrounded by a body of Casa Amigos tequila clinking against each other as I belted out into song.

She told me not to post anything about her birthday, which is rare because she LOVES when I shower her with love, affection and attention. So I waited to take the opportunity to share with her and my fabulous fans a little letter to my mother for Mothers Day.  After she saw my post she was literally like:

and then like:

My mother is the most fabulous woman in the world. But she’s nuts. And amazing. But like, crazy. She’s now going through this really interesting phase where she’s decided to put a cap on her age, yet she’s nagging me for grandchildren…

However she doesn’t want to be called Grandma, granny or anything that sounds remotely ancient. So she’ll probably be pulling a Kris Jenner and call herself “Lovey” or something of that nature.

My mother continues to make me laugh to the point where my abs hurt and my Shaman suggested that I poke fun at the woman who I love the most in this world because it’ll make my third chakra shine. Or something like that.

I want to be like her when I grow up because I too want to light up any room I enter, not just with diamonds but with my poise, elegance, and glamour.

I love you Mom, I meant every word in my letter. Bergdorfs when I’m back?

 

Here’s the deal. I love Haute Couture week more than anything in life. I love it more than a sample sale. I love it more than a first class suite on the new Emirates Boeing 777. I love it more than a fresh-out-of-the box BIRKIN.

Watching each haute couture show allows my mind to wander into a place it’s never been to before. I always relate to Alice when she gets to wonderland. Like I am literally Alice.

Witnessing the element of surprise during each show leaves me in total awe and gives me this child-like reaction as if I just saw a magician doing a mind boggling trick.

I continue to develop a deeper appreciation for each designer especially when we get to witness their fantasy side, not just their commercial side.  Haute couture week is about showcasing pure imagination and bringing us all into a different realm of fantasy.

The intricate detail and wow factor each designer brings to the table is what I look forward to the most. What’s really amazing is the idea of keeping the tradition of hand-making a garment in today’s world.  It’s just so special to know that haute couture is all hand-made and that this is fashion’s ONE exception of sticking true to a tradition when fashion is all about pushing the needle forward.

You have to be a true visionary or magician or artist to create this level of high fashion and art. I’m convinced that Karl Lagerfeld is an actual magician. I literally don’t know how he does it, but I do know that Choupette has all the answers.

 

Here is a round up of some of my favorite Haute Couture looks!

 

Oh my god, so what did we think of this extravaganza!? I was totally overwhelmed the entire time and was trying my very hardest not to blink or breathe so that I wouldn’t miss a single second of the most important day of the year. But then it happened, Amal came onto the screen and I literally choked and gasped for air. Is it just me or did the entire world just stop when the Clooneys made their appearance?

Amal Clooney in Stella McCartney was a true vision.  I swear to god that yellow was made for her. I’m sure the color makers in the Pantone lab looked at Amal’s complexion and were like this blend of yellow needs to be on her.  She looked so good, perhaps too good, that you almost would never ever want her at your own wedding because all of the attention would be taken off of you and focus solely on her, you know what I mean? The day before the wedding, I didn’t own one piece of yellow clothing.  Actually I have a Hanky Panky panty that’s bright yellow but that doesn’t count. However I am happy to announce that Net-a-porter just alerted me that they are shipping my entire yellow Spring/Summer wardrobe via Natalie Massanet’s  personal jet which is fab. So thanks Natty, I owe you one!

Let’s talk about Kitty Spencer in Dolce & Gabbana. I’ve actually never heard of Kitty Spencer until the day of the wedding and luckily my British friend gave me the whole lowdown on who she is. I loved everything about this look. Her hat, her veil, the make up, the diamonds, the dress and bag, just worked to perfection. Once I took a closer look at her veil, I texted my milliner immediately and asked if she could make me one in every color before all my summer weddings. I have only about 43 weddings this summer and I want to be the first to pull off this look post Royal Wedding. Also side note, if any one knows who her cosmetologist and dermatologists are please email me right away. I need a little summer refresher and I’m open to new doctors.

Serena Williams in Versace, was a bit controversial on my instagram stories. Some people loved it, some hated it, but I actually really enjoyed seeing this British tea party side to her. She also just looks so happy, fresh and beautiful! I’m so used to seeing her in athleisure and I loved how she was able to pull of such a girly look. Her make up was absolutely flawless and her fascinator fascinated me. If I were to point out one thing that I would have changed was her necklace. It clashed a bit with her neckline and I almost feel like she either needed my grandmothers diamond choker or nothing at all. Right?

Priyanka Chopra in Dior was the best after party look. The asymmetrical drape that’s going on in the front and the back of the dress is something every one is going to ask their seamstress to re create. The perfectly tailored waistline and movement of this dress was cut by a professional and Dior never disappoints.  I also loved her bomb shell blow out, she really knew how to work it and was totally gone with the wind fabulous. I’m taking this photo with me the next time my puppy gets a blowout as a reference photo.

Who were your favorite looks?

 

For the record I loathe a themed party. I hate Halloween, Toga parties, Hawaiian Luau’s, let’s all dress in a ridiculous costume and look terrible together party, any themed party, is a NO for me. Having said that, the one and ONLY themed event that is acceptable in my book, is the Met Gala. Why is that? Well, because it is curated by one of the only people I trust with taste, Anna Wintour, and it’s theatrical, inspiring, creative and not tacky. Anna Wintour announces a theme and then all of the designers create looks that are inspired by that theme. The Met Gala unifies the designers under one umbrella having them showcase their talents under Anna’s vision. It’s like a gigantic Parsons project, that you only have one or two months to complete. Then the designers debut their creations on their muses at the Met Gala which is their moment to show how they interpreted the theme. Once they hit the red carpet, we get to  Ooh and Ahh at what the designers came up with. Critiquing is my favorite part of any red carpet, but this one in particular is an absolute favorite because it’s the only time designers get to be really dramatic. And I mean reallydramatic. The one thing I wish the Met Gala did during their dinner was an award ceremony consisting of a variety “best dressed” categories. Since no such thing exists I’ve decided to create three categories of my own: “Best Interpretation of Theme”, “Best Dressed Couple”, and “Most Dramatic”. This years theme was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” so with out further adieu, here are my winners!

Best Interpretation of Theme award goes to Gigi Hadid in Versace. She was a true vision. It was the right amount of creativity showcasing Donatella’s inspiration of stained glass windows commonly seen in churches. Her hair had a 1950’s flip and was bobby pinned on either side, accentuating her truly angelic face. The fit of this dress was tailored to perfection; giving her the perfectly synched waist she deserves to show off. The seams on this dress created youthful lines that scattered along her body. I loved the asymmetrical top and the styling of this look; leaving her elegant collar bones bare of jewelry which gave the dress a moment of it’s own.

Best Dressed Couple award goes to Cardi B and Jeremy Scott in Moschino. The heavy amount of adornment on their outfits gave my eyes a purpose to see. My mouth hit my martini as I watched this sparkly duo arrive. As they took each step, blinding us with their embellished outfits, they truly made a crowning fashion statement. Speaking of crowning, I want to wear this exact outfit when I’m giving birth…not sure which PR team I need to reach out to in order to make that happen, but it will happen. Jeremy Scott hit the nail on the head with this year’s theme making them each look as if they were royalty.  She looked like the queen of the evening, didn’t she? I love the matching creme tones and burgundy stones that picked up very “Cathedral-like” hues. I love the contrast of this dress; giving her a structured and heavily stoned gown, with a soft and drapey overlay of satin that framed her belly perfectly.  Jeremy knows what he’s doing, always. I also just wanted to give a special thank you for reposting my interpretation of one my favorite fashion moments.

Most Dramatic award goes to Blake Lively in Versace. Any gown that takes up 30+ stairs as you walk up, is dramatic in my book. She looked absolutely gorgeous in this burgundy gown. I love the structured top and light weight under dress mixed with the layers upon layers of embellished satin. The drapery and the movement of this dress flowed so perfectly and made such a statement on the red carpet. She has a certain grace and is always so elegant. No matter what red carpet or fashion event, Blake Lively is the essence of Hollywood glamor.

Who were your faves?

xoxo

 

 

My Shaman told me to go on a fashion hiatus and find my inner spiritual force and power animal. He shook a rattle over my head and decided Asia is where I would find it.

When I first landed in Hong Kong I could already feel the humidity in the Air…Port.

My pores were into it and I could immediately feel the effects of the Dior hydration cream I lathered on earlier during my 16 hour flight from New York. Which was shamazing. Not the flight, the cream.

Have you ever done the direct flight from NY-Hong Kong? You either have to be in a wine induced coma, or have every single episode of Real Housewives pre downloaded, plus loads of sour patch kids, which in my case, I do all of the above.

The shlep was real.

The second I landed, I put on my fresh from the runway Prabal Gurung dress and decided to go have a kiki somewhere cute. And air-conditioned.

But then the jet lag kicked in…

I woke up with some kind of animal printed snail serum mask that was half on my face and half on my iPhone. I can’t even describe to you the smell, but honestly half of my face looked great, so it was worth it.  I wasn’t exactly sure how or why I decided to apply this mask whilst being in a jet lag fog, but my Shaman cutely sent me a “Welcome to Hong Kong” basket reminding me that I’m not here to kiki, I’m here to find my power animal…

Well at least I know I’m not snail.

 

For many years I was shlepping around 300 copic markers wherever I went. I even purchased a carry-on suitcase specifically made to FIT ALL 300 markers. Each box set had 100 markers, and they were put in these acrylic rectangular boxes that perfectly fit in my magical suitcase. However, traveling with this in hand was not fun. I got stopped at every security check, literally everywhere in the world, and would open my suitcase showing them that these are Marrrrrkers and would grunt, eye roll, hair flip and feel totally annoyed.

(Don’t get me started on boarding a plane with this marker filled suitcase)

Since I travel a lot for work and pleasure I was feeling frustrated to shlep around all of my materials. I had no choice, since no matter where I went, I had to take all of my materials with me. I mean I can’t NOT draw, you know?

Then, the iPad pro launched and I was like, what is this thing? I went to the Apple store about ten times, spoke to countless helpful genius bar people, (who were so adorable and cute btw) and was super curious to see if I could use this tablet. I’ve never used a wacom tablet or did digital drawing before so I didn’t really know if this was right for me. I was more curious about the product for travel reasons so that I wouldn’t have to have a horrible experience each time I decided to pick up and go be fabulous somewhere.

Needless to say, as you see on my instagram, the iPad changed my life. You can literally be any kind of artist/creator you want to be on this thing. I use the procreate App on the iPad pro 12’9″ with the Apple Stylus Pen.

It’s been a total game changer for me. I’m able to really push forward my creativity and do things I could never imagine doing with just ordinary markers and pens.

This app has allowed me to broaden my drawing skills in ways I could have NEVER imagined. If you scroll through my instagram you will notice that my techniques have really advanced since I’ve been using procreate on the iPad. Personally I think it’s enabled me to move from just illustrating to actually making more of an art piece due to all of the fabulous brushes and layering I can do. Plus when it comes to making a design brief for clients, my presentations look much for professional and polished.

Plus now I can go through airport security as if I’m walking into a spa!

xoxo

 

What I live for the most during fashion month aren’t the shows themselves but the atmosphere that surrounds the show. Of course I love nothing more than a good runway, I mean, I live for the runway, but recently I’ve been more inspired by seeing what people are wearing to the shows. I guess you can say that the streets themselves are a form of a runway and the people who roam it know how to prepare to be photographed in their perfectly styled outfits.  As we all see on our favorite bloggers insta-stories they are all going to the same shows, have similar racks of clothing from the designated designers, yet they each style themselves so uniquely, and that’s what I find to be absolutely brilliant.

God bless the street style photographers who stand outside in rain or shine or blizzard tundra to capture the perfect image of these godly fashion creatures. It’s really due to them that we get to see and discover what fashion month is all about through a totally different lens.

My number one favorite street style star is Anna Dello Russo. I’m pretty sure she’s the reason why “street style” has become such a thing during fashion week. Did she invent it? Probably.

I literally live for her insanely bold outfits and how she can pull everything off as if she created the clothes for herself.

Think about it for a second. She pairs a parka with a fully sequined jump suit and black stiletto heels. Genius, no? I would never think to do that, but now that’s all I want to wear this summer. I’m convinced Anna Dello Russo is a fashion alien and I want to be a part of her tribe. Her ability to be fearless is what created my obsession with her to begin with. She is a true visionary and wins best street style every single fashion month.

xoxo

 

I’m not one to look back. Mainly because I can’t bare to relive the idea that at some point I had bangs and wore turquoise eye shadow sophomore year of college. How did I have friends with such a look and why didn’t my mother tell me I looked absolutely ridiculous? I guess in my defense, I was obsessed with M.I.A and this look was super in during the New York Indie/Hipster/Why are we dressed in $1 thrift store t-shirt movement, and that was the thing to do back then, in 2010.

On one lazy afternoon as I was working on my tan and sipping on my 3rd Aperol spritz, I was scrolling through past posts of mine on instagram. Totally obsessing over myself yet analyzing every little thing that I’ve done. Scrolling back to 2014 when Sew Sketchy’s instagram launched, I was shocked, SHOCKED, to see the evolution of my drawings. Seeing your own progress in something whether it’s about your fitness journey or the stages of your bangs growing back into a suitable length, is pretty amazing and incredibly entertaining.

 

Giovanna Battaglia has been a part of this evolution and has played such a big roll in my daily dose of inspiration. I’ve never met her personally but I’d like to think we’re best friends. I got the chance to work with her on her gorgeous T shirt collection which validated all the years that I’ve spent drawing her. I’ve had an infatuation with her ever since I could remember. Between all the leopard prints, sequined looks, and her perfect chignon, I mean helllurr, she is ultimately goals.

For entertainment purposes ONLY, because that’s what we do here, I’ve put in order the first drawing I ever did of her all the way to the most current.

 

Giovanna Battaglia is my spirit animal

 

Giovanna wins best dressed in my book

 

You really need to look at your texts because I told you I was going to be wearing this look today

 

Striping a pose

 

This is what I call fashion people!

 

On Wednesday’s we wear pink

 

Gurrrrrl, I’m telling you the uber says it’s this way

 

I’m a mess, you’re a mess, we’re a hot mess

 

And people wonder how we stay so thin

 

To be tired of leopard, is to be tired of life

 

This is how you fashion week

 

Last nights Christmas look was inspired by the nutcracker going to fashion week

 

My favorite color is shopping

 

My shaman told me to add a lesson to this story. And the lesson here is, don’t cut your own hair, and keep doing whatever it is you’re doing because you will never know the hustle until you stop and smell the roses once in a while.

Namaste.