In other news… Retail stocks hit a 436.89 high Monday - the highest since December 2007. And retail stores are hiring up. The U.S. Department of Labor reported a hiring increase for the second month in a row. Maybe demand is back. Even the wintry weather couldn’t stop consumers from spend, spend, spend this February.  February was retailers’ best same-store sales results in two years - a 4% overall increase. J. Crew posted $40 million in 4th quarter profit. Jason Woo is doing it special style for Bergdorf. Jean Paul Gaultier for Target is flying off the shelves, and Burberry is suing TJ Maxx over alleged counterfeits, and yes, I am rushing through this because even more important that all of that is Calvin Klein’s new Calvin Klein X ad campaign.
God bless Calvin Klein. Let me repeat: God bless Calvin Klein for recruiting Emmet from Twilight, the possessed guy from True Blood, Spanish hottttt tennis star Fernando Verdasco and the most famous Asian footballer Hidetoshi Nakata to make this video. You can, and should, thank me later. Actually, just thank me right now.

Emma Dinzebach

Paris fashion week shows didn’t close with quintessential elaborate gowns and fancy Dior-esque dresses. (Balenciaga showed not a single solitary gown.) Instead, a sportswear influenced styles, loose-fitting slacks, wrinkly satin, silk skirts and sweaters dominated runways. Nina Ricci, Dries Von Noten, Stella McCartney and Akris, to name a few, had a more modern, multifaceted client in mind when they designed Fall’s flexible wear. Many pieces combined street and evening wear. Designers spoke on their clients’ desire for interchangeable pieces.

Even in France, the four day work week is a bestseller. And in Paris, they’re looking forward to a more relaxing fall.

Emma Dinzebach

Maybe that explains the deeply discounted pieces at the Escada Sample Sale, at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 19th Street. Luxury clothing and some accessories up to 90% off retail values. Yesterday, the apparel section offered a large variety with timeless classics and wardrobe backbones as well as the marked Escada evening dresses. There are many pieces for work, interview or a day of shopping. Our Editor scored a pristine English riding-style jacket for $95 marked down from $950. The accessory selection was slimmer. Shoes were marked down, most of them 90% off retail price.

The sale drew a more conservative crowd of middle-aged, well-dressed professionals, which may explain how the organization remained in tact. Sizes are plentiful and staff are friendly and there to answer questions about sizes, prices and damages. Be prepared to check your belongings at the door. All sales are final.
       

WHEN: 3/7 - 3/10 Sun-Tues. (10-7), Wed. (10-5)

WHERE: 110 W. 19th St. between 6th & 7th Ave

Emma Dinzebach
 

So like all awesome trends, us regular folk took in down a notch. Rather than getting rid of the right side of our hair, we’re slicking it back, pinning it up to create our own kind of asymmetry. To achieve, blow dry hair like usual, using a round brush or volumizer to score maximum height. Pin one side back (think half ponytail), tight to your head. If you hair is like mine and naturally parts to the side, pin the non-dominant side. Then style the other side like usual adding a little more height than you feel comfortable with. It will fall, and this look doesn’t fly with super flat hair.

Feeling frisky, then play around with the non-pinned side. Add large curls, a dramatic side pony, decorate with a flower, feather or tiny toque. Basically whatever your funky little heart desires for a night on the town or toned down for a day at the office.

For your viewing pleasure:

 
Emma Dinzebach

WHY: Shop Target’s Liberty of London collection before it debuts nationwide at the brand’s four-day pop-up.

WHEN: 3/10 - 3/13, W (11–8), Th–S (9–8).

WHERE: Liberty of London for Target Pop-up. 1095 Sixth Ave., at 42nd St.;

My friends say that if I all together forget to stalk my love then he isn’t my love at all but rather a passerby, immaterial, be neither fish nor fowl. “Maybe I am just buuuuusy!” I say because I am just that: busy. And more busy than the average person because I am taking on a lot of work at work, writing a book and writing things like this relationship column, the Weekly Shop Report and savory city food trends. I am also trying to maintain my personal blog; and if you click on personal blog, a new window will magically transport you there. Plus with all of my shameless self-promotion and all around ego-centric living, there are and will continue to be times when I forget to stalk my love.

Why stalk him at all? Like everything, I have an answer for that. Without a sane amount of stalking, my long days at the computer, words redacted, hours chatting over yoga or bending in half on my mat, the time spent on my head and miles my little legs take me would become redundant, repetitive, superfluous, and dizzying. Plus my mother tells me to reward myself when I meet my little goals along the way. Is it wrong that my favorite reward is to let myself stalk someone? Same mother stalked my stepfather and they have blithe marriage. Blithe I tell you. Other rewards I can think of I actually do not have time for - shopping, pedicure, high tea. Or I must plan in advance with this writing schedule of mine - strange vacations, visits with friends, a leisurely trip to whole foods (although those have been known to turn into stalking events on their own). So stalking is the best compromise. I give myself a time limit so as not to become addicted or out of control. I make sure to remove all emotion from what I find, and I have been mildly successful in doing so.

I used to stalk my Latin “husband” around the neighborhood. One day I asked my deli guy what he knew of said husband, and learned that said husband likes to smoke “Jays” on the side of the building and may or may not have an illegitimate child (his own) and woman living with him. The next day I found someone new to stalk. And then sometimes stalking helps me create stories to write. A reward that pays is the best reward of all.

Stalk on.

Emma Dinzebach