NYFW Autumn/Winter '15

This is an exciting post this week! I was lucky enough to shoot my post for the week at Lincoln Center. My lovely new photographer, Shahnee Naftali, was even luckier and work a few shows, including J. Crew this week. I met her uptown and we shot for today's post!

It was SO COLD outside it was crazy of me to even go there. My hands were numb and the wind was blowing so crazy I lost my hat at least five times. You can tell my face was like frozen and that we just wanted to shoot then bundle up again. It was totally fun though!

I usually head up to Fashion Week every semester. Sadly not to see shows, which is almost impossible most of the time. It takes crazy connections! I like to go to see the street style, which is a runway show in itself. The people that attend go all out every season and hang out around Lincoln Center hoping to photographer's attention. If you're lucky maybe you'll make it in an article about bet street style from fashion week post from Vogue or Marie Claire. I felt so special when two photographers asked to take my picture! It was a great feeling knowing I was stylish enough! My photo will probably be another file crowding their computer, but it's a great experience to have some ask. So many stylish fashionistas plan an outfit for every day of Fashion Week, head out, freeze their butts off and hope for a glimpse of attention. I went one day, in a fairly casual look, so it was a lucky and cool experience. I will continue to scope Fashion Week from the outside until my day comes when I'm invited to a show. Dreams do and will come true!

P.S. If anyone finds my picture somewhere hit a girl up! (lol)

- Mik
Photography by Shahnee Naftali

Grunge Girl

Lately the blog has been on hiatus because I was looking for a new photographer for the semester, so welcome Shahnee to my team!

Happy Valentines Day readers! While my outfit has nothing to do with the holiday, because who am I kidding, I don't own red or pink, it's still cute and totally me. I've been finding lots of outfit inspiration on instagram lately and one that I found inspired this simple look. Leggings, an H&M baseball tee and a Hollister fuzzy cardigan. "Grunge Girl" is the perfect description of my style and my personality. My dark style against my bubbly and outgoing personality! I'm not much of a girly girl, but that doesn't mean I can't love fashion and be a happy person! While the look is mostly black the fuzzy sweater gives it a warm, girly addition. I also wore these H&M boots for the first time, which fit really well and are an easy match for any look.

Enjoy your Valentines Day and love yourself!

- Mik
Photos by Shahnee Naftali

Reasoning Behind the Cut

Has many of you have noticed, I cut a lot of my hair off. And I'm not going to take this post to write about my decision for the change, but to hopefully use it in a broader way. My readers don't care about what I did to my hair, I'm not famous. I do want to share the grand spectrum of what this decision did for me and hope to inspire my audience. Onto the story!

I could give you the "I hated my hair," "new year, new me" excuses, but I think I'll take a cheesier approach by saying I wanted to be myself. Since leaving Syracuse and moving New York, even since I started this new major 15 weeks ago, I've changed. It's extremely obvious. It's my environment, my new friends, old friends and family that choose to accept this about me that allow me to feel comfortable with these changes. My wardrobe to my personality to my career choices have done complete 360's and to be honest I couldn't be happier with who I have become.

Now for the semester. I switched to the communication design one year program here at FIT to start anew. I've been challenged in mediums, projects and choices that I wasn't before. And I can say I made the right decision. I've met amazing and talented people that I will always be close with that have inspired me in unimaginable ways. I thank them for all they have done for me and continue to do. I got a new job as well at H&M. Not that it's a huge change, but it allows me more in house opportunities and freedom I wasn't given before. It's a place with nice people that accept my red hair and my style. They embrace the individual and their skills. I've had internship interviews and met amazing people this semester also. Lastly I now have my first apartment and permanent New York City address. I've made that move that will help me improve my art, my career and my life style. I found myself very stressed out over the pasted few months, but it was worth it.

The haircut was my version of a "finishing touch." Kind of a reward to myself for all I have accomplished in the big city. It's me embracing the person I have become and seeing who sticks by me and supports me through the challenges. I'm an artist, a nerd, a dork, a fashionista, a designer, the list goes on, but each characteristic is important to me. Overall I love it, I feel myself and it solved my top knot addiction.

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my work from the semester, new projects and of course more fashion. I hope you all enjoy it and continue to follow me in my adventures. I blog to record my journey and practice my craft. Enjoy the new stuff coming!

Photography: Megan Madden

- Mik

As of today,  blushmagfit.com is new and improved. With great new articles, videos, interviews and tutorials, Blush Magazines website has stepped up it's game. Thanks to a great team, a lot was accomplished and I thank them all.
I wanted to share the article I took on, which was contacting a friend and designer, Natalya Nyn. Here's my articles about Natalya, her company and some wonderful photos by Megan Madden.
Check out more amazing things from Blush Magazine's website by clicking on the link above!

Meet The Designer: Natalya Nyn of Toysyndrome

By Mikayla Madigan | Photography by Megan Madden

Natalya Nyn is a former FIT fashion design student from Russia. Toysyndrome is her completely original company, which focuses on the nostalgia, individuality, and fun of urban streetwear. Coming from a BFA program with a focus on evening wear and working at J. Mendal, Nyn felt like designing became too serious and she wanted to have fun with her work. Nyn created t-shirts, now sweatshirts and beanies as well, with small, plastic toy bugs, reptiles and aliens sewn on them. She also uses hand dyeing techniques to make colors and textures on some of her shirts.

These aren’t just randomly sewn on bugs; they organized and designed in a way that’s practical and artsy. The pieces are bold, fun and for someone with a young personality, such as Nyn herself. Since starting her own line she has made strides to make her company grow. She now works with a company to mass produce her orders and a freelance seamstress for custom orders. She’s had interviews with Refinery29 and Fashionista and been featured in Nylon. 

But the person who really helped her take off was Lena Dunham. Nyn’s story is that she saw the popular show Girls being filmed while she “casually ate her lunch nearby. Dunham noticed her shirt and Nyn ended up giving one to her, which Dunham then posted on Instagram. What really surprised Nyn was a message from the Fashionista editor with a link to the Season 3 trailer for Girls, which shows Dunham wearing a Toysyndrome shirt in an episode. Nyn calls it one her most exciting moments to date!

Nyn says that in the future, she’s thinking of creating a system for customers to customize their shirts online. And, she’s currently working on making little creatures of her own to find a home on one of her designs.

Nyn has become so successful since the first time we met only a year ago. From FIT to Lena Dunham’s Instagram and even a store in Dubai, Toysyndrome has expanded in a short period of time. It’s inspiring hearing success stories from former FIT students and knowing that there’s something out there for everyone. Her advice to current students is that throughout your career, you will get a lot of “no’s,” but with that will come one amazing “yes.” So never give up, have confidence, and believe in yourself. 

You can see more of Nyn’s collection at toysyndrome.com. Follow her on Instagram @toysyndrome and see her pieces in person at Patricia’s Boutique on Bowery Street.

Blush Magazine: Abercrombie Revolution

As many of you know, I'm web director for Blush Magazine at FIT. Besides working on the website, I also write for the print edition. Yesterday the Fall Issue was released to the stands on campus. Articles from makeup for glasses, fashion and technology and industry news. My article, entitled "Abercrombie Revolution," gives an overview on the issues and changes going on with the Abercrombie and Fitch company. Luckily I have my employee advantages and have seen a huge transition before my eyes. What is post has that the articles doesn't is three outfits, head to toe Hollister that shows a few new pieces. Enjoy the article and stop in stores to see more!

P.S This Friday @ 1pm on blushmagfit.com is the Blush Online Launch! Check it out and use #blushlaunch2K14 for a chance to win!

Abercrombie Revolution

By Mikayla Madigan | Photography by Megan Madden

“You’ve Changed, So We’ve Changed,” reads the new slogan hanging boldly across Aeropostle stores. Responding to a decrease in profits, Aero is just one of the many familiar fashion companies who are being forced to change their entire approach to reaching their target customers. Despite many stores’ willingness to recreate their image and regain consumer dedication, one company had been holding out on us. Abercrombie and Fitch, which had previously resisted change, has begun a brand evolution as of this year. Their style has gone from “SoCal” to ‘SoTrendy’, with new items that are bringing back the customer’s interest. 

Ten years ago, when many of us were in middle school, it was evident that the iconic moose or seagull was a symbol of status. Abercrombie and Hollister were the most frequented stores of “popular” tweens. Fast-forward to the present, and style preferences have pretty much done a 180. Now, teens and young adults have much more eclectic taste and these symbols no longer hold the key to the “in” crowd. 

So, what did journalists and marketers say Abercrombie had to do to stay relevant? Firstly, become more “on trend.” To determine what trends a company wants to produce, they send representatives across the globe in search of the latest trends. The problem with this method is that the trends Abercrombie had been catering to were already hanging in consumer’s closets. By the time Abercrombie got them on the floor, they were fading out. Secondly, ditch the logo. Customers no longer want a distracting moose stuck on their chest. It disrupts the overall look and is no longer the incentive to buy an item. And, lastly, lower those prices. Many shoppers feel that items like a Hollister or Abercrombie graphic tee are about double the price they would expect to pay. Taking note of these issues, the company is beginning to make changes in order to regain their profits and bring loyal customers back. 

Let’s take this summer at Abercrombie, in particular. Trends like palazzo pants, natural-waisted shorts, and shapely crop tops were introduced by the brand—and much earlier on in the season than in previous years. Black is also now one of the many colors they sell. Neither Hollister of Abercrombie ever sold black, and its inclusion is probably one of the biggest and most effective changes thus far. Abercrombie has also created the “Jean Lounge,” with their new “Best Fit Ever” jeans. They come in tons of styles and customers have the option to pick from washes that are destroyed, light, dark, and again, even black. 

The logo is now only on about 50% of the product. Its been left on certain graphic tees, mostly for men. Price wise, the stores always have a promotion going on, until new prices are decided on. For instance, jeans for $19.00! It’s an unheard of price for the Abercrombie of the past. Other recent changes include securing contracts with both Disney and Lucy Hale. Hollister in particular has Mickey, Minnie, and Star Wars tees and have released a SoCal and Lucy Hale collaboration. 

So, is there some hope for companies like Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister, who were failing to hold consumer interest? It may be too soon to tell, but these huge changes may just be enough to save them. So, save your middle school moose tees—they may just become a vintage collector’s item.

Cropped Carpet Sweat

Black, High Rise Jeans

Cropped, Sleevless Tee

Boho Palazzo Pants

Long Sleeve, Crop Top

Natural Waisted Jeans

Girl Power!

On Tuesday October 7th I went to see the girl behind the oh so popular chorus to Iggy Azalea's "Fancy," Charli XCX. Her tickets were $30 and I wasn't about to pass that up, even though I went alone. The whole had this vibe on Girl Power ( Charli said it much more obscenely, but this blog if definitely PG13). I left the venue with this awesome feeling of empowerment, confidence and " heck yea!" attitude. Let me explain:

First up was Femme, I wasn't too into music so let's skip her. Next was Elphnt, this mysterious, Swedish solo artist that literally kicked butt. Singled handedly she got a crowd of people who have never heard her pumped up. She even walked on stage with a beer in her hand. Elphnt had this rapping, deep and kind of Jamacian voice that was really cool. Definitely check her out!
Charli then came out. Her theme was prom, so the room was filled with banners and balloons. This is where it get really girl power oriented. Her all girl band, Charli included, came out in black cheerleading uniforms with the title of her new album, "Sucker" across the front. The whole thing was very "Clueless" and 90's. Big barrettes, Baby Spice buns and thin braids set in your face. Along with some platforms and tennis shoes. As Charli performed she went nuts, I'm talking Miley Cyrus without all the props. She flashed the crowd, I saw her butt more then I needed to and she danced so hard, yet her tiara never moved an inch. I was at a 1990's prom with so crazy people!

Leaving the concert I had this scary amount of confidence, like I could be dangerous and awesome. Long story short here's my outfit featuring my Charli XCX "Sucker" concert tee, H&M joggers and Urban Outfitter's army jacket. I felt I could dress however, be bold and be confident. Charli's music isn't everyone, but I think her open and shear confidence is something everyone can take from her. It's okay to crazy, fun and bold. Everyone deserves to be a little bit of a bad ass.

If you're looking for a tune to go all 90's dance party to, try Chari XCX's new single London Queen!

- Mik
Photos by Megan Madden

Getting Kind of Grunge

It's been over a week since I have posted and I have to say, I missed it. It was a tough week! After taking a long weekend Upstate I mistakenly got behind on work and that included the blog. Getting behind for the first time in forever taught me one thing, NEVER DO IT. There will be stress, frustration, tears (it was bad), etc. I had probably four major projects due this week and I was no prepared for the overload. It led me to feel like getting a little grunge!

Let's be real, 90's grunge was an amazing time for fashion and a huge inspiration for me. While I'm an outgoing and happy person, the whole style just draws my attention. The mood of grunge certainly went with my mood the whole week. That's what fashion does; lets you express yourself.

I wore a "rock & roll" Urban Outfitters tee, Hollister maxi skirt with black tights underneath, my acid wash jacket and quilted Doc Martens. Beauty wise I added Kat Von D "Homegirl" lipstick. I felt the part for sure.

Take it from this weeks breakdown, get head so you don't explode your head. Even though some sweet fashion came out of it.

- Mik
Photos: Megan Madden

Mixin it up

When I purchased these pants from Hollisters new line I was so excited because we finally sell black! For those of you that don't know, I've worked for Hollister for 4 years. Black is my main color so having it in our stock felt awesome. My manager asked me what I would wear with it and I said "that striped crop top we have on clearance" and he told me stripes wouldn't go with the pants. So I decided to prove him wrong! You can mix all sorts of patterns! And I'm sure I'll post more in the future. The key to mixing is color palette. It's a good way to see if different patterns go together. Here I have a neutral palette of black, creme, gray and a little gold in the pants. Since the colors compliment each other it gives the illusion the patterns match. This can be done in really bold ways too, like plaid and cheetah, or geometric and bold stripes. This color technique is a great way to start if you are unsure what patterns mix well. Give it a try! And you're welcome Shaun! 

- mik