THE FASHION and celebrity worlds can be a lot like high school, only way better dressed and accessorized. MTV’s “The City” is no exception. It allows us to relive the painful memories of cliché bitchiness, but rather than being in the school cafeteria or bleachers, we’re inside the accessory department of a magazine and the offices of a p.r. firm.
Who cares if much of the scenes between the five girls are scripted? It’s addictive to watch such cattiness, especially when decked out in a mélange of unaffordable Lanvin and cheap-chic H&M.
What we can confirm is that the tension between ice princess Olivia Palermo and, well, everyone else (that’d be Whitney Port, Samantha Swetra and new girls Erin Kaplan and Roxy Olin) is quite real. In fact, The Post was granted exclusive access to a promotional photo shoot for the new season, which premieres Tuesday, and boy did we feel the chill.
“Maybe if Olivia even tried,” explained Samantha.
“I’m here to do my job and get the shot,” Olivia shot back. Meow.
Fortunately, we were warmed by the fashion musings of the utterly fabulous Joe Zee. This season, the effervescent man with a plan straddles roles as both the creative director of Elle and school marm-Mother Hen-referee to some serious squabbles between Olivia and Erin, both of whom work at Elle.
Zee styled the girls in younger designers such as Alexander Wang and Chris Benz, mixing in pieces from contemporary lines such as Jessica Simpson, Theory and the Row.
“[The girls’] sense of personal style is routed in individuality,” says Zee. “When I started in fashion 20 years ago it wasn’t about that. Everyone ran around saying, ‘What’s going on the runway?’ If it was miniskirts, then everyone had to run out and get miniskirts. They dressed alike in order to be on trend. Those rules have long gone out the window.”
Individuality or not, “The City” girls all love their Lanvin. So much so that while chatting with them we counted four different pronunciations of the French designer. (Whitney: Laaan-vaaan; Roxy: Lawn-vawn; Olivia: Law-vaw; and Samantha: Lawnn-van — emphasis on the first syllable). Sammy came closest.
Thank God no one’s wearing Hussein Chalayan.
We talked shop styles, must-haves and more with each of them.
ERIN KAPLAN, 26
► Lives: on the Upper East Side|
► Works: as director of public relations for Elle magazine
► Shopping ethos: “I’m just so basic and boring and always wearing black. Joe has to tell me to wear accessories!”
► Shopping destinations: Gap, H&M, Theory, Tahari. “I love Badgley Mischka’s new line.”
► Makeup must-haves: “I don’t even know what I use. Whatever I find at Duane Reade!”
► Frequents: “I like the Upper East Side because it’s away from everything else. I do like the Standard Grill. I also go to Starbucks a lot. I’m addicted to coffee.”
► What she’s wearing: Alexander Wang dress, Jessica Simpson heels
ROXY OLIN, 23
► Lives: with Whitney in the West Village
► Works: at p.r. firm People’s Revolution
► Shop style and destinations: Jeffrey’s, Alexander Wang, Olivier for Nina Ricci, Barbara Bowie “I’m really excited to wear a jacket again. I’m a huge fan of animals, but I love fur. I also really love gloves. I’m excited to be in New York and actually need them.”
► Makeup must-haves: “I love Bobbi Brown’s stuff to rock the smokey eyes. MAC by far has the best eyeliner.”
► Frequents: The Jane Hotel. “They’ll play oldies music, and I really like oldies. The Supremes, the Impressions. I can’t stand the really loud clubs because I’m sober. I get really flustered in that kind of scene. You can just sit and relax at The Jane.”
► What she’s wearing: Nicole Miller dress, D&G booties
WHITNEY PORT, 24
► Lives: with Roxy in the West Village
► Works: at p.r. firm People’s Revolution
► Shopping style and destinations: Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Alexander Wang. “I don’t have the time or patience to go into big stores.”
► Perfume and makeup must-haves: Trish McEvoy No. 3, NARS
► Frequents: The lounge in the Standard Hotel, Extra Virgin, Blue Ribbon, the Jane Hotel, Rose Bar and Avenue
► Whitney according to Joe Zee: “LA mix of bohemian along with NYC glamour.”
► What she’s wearing: Michael Kors suit jacket, Alexander Wang biker leggings, leopard slingbacks by Walter Steigler and Phi belt
SAMANTHA “sammy” SWETRA, 23
► Lives: in Chelsea
► Works: as an assistant buyer at Bergdorf Goodman
► Shop style and destinations: “My basic stuff is all Bergdorf. I’m there every day, but then I’ll go to H&M and Zara, too.”
► Perfume and makeup must-haves: Trish McEvoy and Bare Minerals, plus Maybelline Mascara; for perfume, Lanvin and Dior.
► Favorite hair-care products: Kerastase
► Can’t live without: Lanvin. “I’m obsessed with their bags. I actually broke my hot pink one and had to bring it in. They are like, ‘We have to ship this and get this piece from Paris. It will be three weeks.’ It’s like three weeks without my hot pink bag! What will I do?”
► Frequents: the Jane Hotel
► What she’s wearing: Chris Benz top, The Row skirt, Fendi shoes and Alaia belt
OLIVIA PALERMO, 23
► Lives: in Brooklyn
► Works: as a contributing editor for Elle magazine’s accessories department
► Shop style: “I like to shop late in the evening. I typically go into Zara, Topshop and to vintage shops.”
► Perfume and makeup must-haves: Guerlain and YSL. “I’ve been using those products since I was a teenager. Once I find something I’m comfortable with, it is hard for me to leave it.”
► Olivia according to Joe Zee: “She is the iconic Elle girl who likes to mix high and low. She’s not about ripping an idea off the runway and putting it on. She has such an incredible sense of fashion, a great passion for it and a great taste for it. That’s something you can’t teach nor train someone to have.”
► What she’s wearing: Missoni dress, Chanel chain belt, Versace shoes, and House of Lanvin bracelets
JOE ZEE's tips for 'City' girl style
► Get thee a statement necklace!
The bigger and chunkier, the better. “You can actually get the statement necklace trend at all levels — at Lanvin or at H&M. You don’t have to break the bank.”
► Hit the chains for trends.
Shop H&M, Topshop and Uniqlo “for little pieces of flair to mix in.”
► Own THE FOLLOWING STAPLES:
a white T-shirt and big-shouldered jacket. “Use [the jacket] like the new cardigan.”
► Don’t wear flip-flops.
“I love heels very high — but only because I don’t have to wear them! I love seeing people in flats too, but I do not like seeing them in flip-flops — we do not live and work at the beach!”
► Stay comfy, but sophisticated.
“I love the coziness and feel of sweaters. I also really like a nice gorgeously tailored jacket. Michael Kors hits those knits and suit items right out of the ballpark.”
Credit - By Shira Levine @ ny post
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