If collars, metallics and leather are your thing then read on.

It was the collar, which we’ve expressed our love for previously on WSW, that caught our attention most yesterday.

BT2, Brown Thomas little sister, is the first shop in the world to sell Karl, the diffusion label from Karl Lagerfeld. The collection, which hits stores on 8th March, includes a take on his own personal style with metallic and leather shirt collars (€130) – a great alternative to a statement necklace, fingerless leather gloves that Madonna would wear (€49), button-down-collar shirts (€130) and sequinned shorts (€200).

Check out the collection for yourself in this short clip we took when viewing the collection yesterday. To view, just click on the arrow in the image above.

The statement shoulder metallic jacket (on right) will set you back €350 – a far cry from the Chanel prices which Lagerfeld is accustomed to charging. The most expensive item in the collection is this leather biker jacket (€1,000) pictured left, worn with a t-shirt (€70) and a metallic, leather skirt (€330).

Availability: BT2 from March 8th 2012. Online at Net-a-porter

This month’s style city feature was written by my stylish sister Noreen (pictured above). She’s lived in NYC, Sydney and Thailand so we hope to convince her to give us an insider’s guide to shopping and style for future Style City features on whatshewears.ie. Previous cities covered are Belfast and Barcelona.

West Village

For eating and drinking in NYC I recommend the West Village. I used to live on Perry Street in the West Village where there are some really cool shops around Bleecker Street.   The fab Marc Jacobs store on the corner of Bleecker and Perry Street tempted me every time I walked home.

If you can’t buy anything chez Marc, comfort yourself with a cup cake in The Magnolia Bakery (as featured in SATC) 401 Bleecker Street .  It’s just a short taxi ride from the West Village to Soho for shopping  and the Meatpacking District for late night entertainment.

Second hand designer stores

I love browsing second hand designer stores like INA. New York Magazine described INA as “The trendiest pickings from American and European runways — mixed in with rather chic no-name clothes”.  INA, 15 Bleecker Street.

You can come across some stellar finds for a snippet like my Karl Lagerfeld riding jacket , which felt like it was hand made for me.  Sadly, it was stolen from me in a  Dublin nightclub by someone who knew a good thing when they saw it!

Shopping in New York

The best district for shopping in New York is SOHO (short for “South of Houston) in downtown Manhattan.  Between the many cobble stoned streets between West Broadway and Broadway you will find a great mix of shops.

This includes the bijoux Bloomingdales if you can’t face the much larger one on 59th Street.  All tourists who show their passport in the visitors centre in Bloomingdales get 11% off all goods (with the exception of some cosmetics) even on sale items. So it is worth queuing up before hitting the clothing rails.

The flagship Apple store is located on 5th Avenue in a coverted post office building where you can spend hours just browsing and looking at the test gadgets.  Apple, Prince Street, New York.

Need a party dress or ball gown?

BCBG Max Azria is my favourite haunt if I am in need of a dress or ball gown.  Their silk cashmere cardigan wraps are the best I have found around. Other recommended shops in Soho are Betsy Johnson, Adidas and other small designers dotted around the place like Catherine Maladrino.

Broadway Shopping

If want to venture to the very busy Broadway district you will find Victorias Secret for underwear, Sephora (which is always great for makeup supplies), Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, Armani Exchange and some fantastic shoe shops like Steve Madden.  It’s a really busy area but a good option if  you only have an afternoon to hit all the main shops and pick up some bargains.

If however you like browsing and want to avoid the annoying sales assistants (who have become even more persistent since the recession has hit… they really do care ‘how you are today’!)  at the weekend you will find street vendors along Prince Street selling fabulous, genuine jewellery.

Just last week I bought some statement earrings and necklaces with semi precious stones which, in total cost  me €200. They would’ve  cost me triple that in a retail outlet.  Be prepared to bargain though.

Outlet shopping in New York

This would be shopping hell for me but if you insist on outlet  shopping,  go to Woodbury Common which is the most popular outlet and is located an hour away from NYC – the bus leaves from Port Authority and goes on the hour.

If you want to stay put in New York for outlet shopping and have nerves of steel, head to Century 21 down at the World Trade Centre (Cortlandt Street).  My advice is to get in and out early otherwise you’ll need an oxygen mask!

I just tend to head to the sports section of Century 21 on the 1st floor  – I can’t get enough sports socks, hats/gloves  and magnificent scarves.  I bought two Pucci scarves there last week reduced from €300 each to €99 each!  This type of stuff doesn’t require trying on nor standing for hours ‘in line’.

Hotels in New York City

Check hotels.com for the many deals on hotels in New York City to be had at the moment. I suggest that you stay downtown in Soho and not  have to traipse around in cabs.

60 Thomson, The Mercer Hotel and Soho Grand are three hotel suggestions.  My motto is to stay somewhere that has a great vibe, people and a nice bar, so if you’re too tired to go out (you will be after all that shopping) let the party come to the hotel!

On my last trip I stayed at the Hudson Hotel,  356 West 58th Street, near Columbus Circle subway (near Central park and Theatre district). This Phillipe Starck designed hotel with a great roof garden is well located for shopping.  The hotel had its heyday a few years ago but the once expensive room rates have now become more accessible price-wise.

New York Restaurants

If  you fancy a quick bite while shopping in West Broadway head to Dos Caminos on West Broadway. This is an upscale Mexican restaurant that serves the most unbelievable guacamole which is served in a cauldron style stone bowl .  It’s a great place for lunch between shops or early evening when the legs get tired after shopping, why not pop in for margaritas and guacamole.

Pastis 9 Ninth Avenue, New York

Brunch in the Meatpacking District is the ‘in scene’ thing to do, so if you’re in town for a few days,  treat yourself to brunch at Pastis.  I recommend their great burgers and fries. The bar area is always good for a celeb viewing, lots of hustle and bustle,  surrounded by old French décor.

The Spotted Pig

Bono is said to be an investor in The Spotted Pig which is New York’s first authentic English style gastro-pub. Also, considering that Sarah Jessica Parker and Liv Tyler live around the corner in the West Village, you are bound to spot a celebrity here on the weekends.  Chef April Bloomfield, formerly of London’s River Café, ensures this cosy wood-floor tavern in the West Village is always packed.

If you feel The Spotted Pig is too crowded there’s always the down-home White Horse Tavern pub nearby on Hudson Street. This is a great spot in the Summer – sit outside on the benches and watch  the world walk by.

If want to feel like at home and mix with some of the locals (SJP lives around the corner) head to Extra Virgin.  Great food and a particular favourite of mine for its decor with its exposed brick walls, it reminds me of my old apartment in NYC.  Make sure to call ahead to reserve as queues of locals can be long.

My favorite bars in New York

Employees Only 510 Hudson St between Christopher and W. 10th Street.  This is a cosy new West Village spot where the staff wear chef smocks with quirky titles like Principal Bartender.

After shopping and before heading back to your hotel head to Felix on 340 West Broadway – this is a mix of Eurobrats and locals who stand on the street and drink Peroni beer to the sound of Latin music.

Head on to Novevcento which is a chaotic, casual, and exhilarating Argentinian restaurant which has a crazy party vibe after 11pm. I had my birthday there a few years ago with blurred memories from too many mojitos, so feel I need to visit each time I go back to jog my memory!

New York City Guidebooks

If in doubt about where to shop or eat, I recommend buying a Zagat’s guide–it  has all the street addresses and phone numbers and can be bought in most good newsagents.

Or just buy the latest Time Out magazine for New York – for the very latest and happening places to go, it will also have the update on designer sales for that week so it’s not to be missed!

Enjoy!

Outspoken Brit pop starlet Lily Allen has gone from bad to good in the style stakes. What used to be a chav, hip hop girl (gold chains and Nike Air runners), she has now gone towards a girly look (Marc Jacobs or other designer handbags and cute vintage dresses).

Although she hasn’t ditched the attitude or the runners (for day wear), her style has evolved into a more glamorous and polished look.  Karl Lagerfeld describes her as “fun” and she’ll be photographed by him for a handbag advertising campaign for Chanel soon.

Pictured far left

Lily Allen makes dresses look casual with a pair of runners (cutt off the photo here) when was spotted out near her home in North London. She was wearing a Miss Selfridge grey leopard print dress with a long cardigan. She accessorized with her favourite YSL handbag.

You can pick up a similar granddad style, long cardigan from Zara.

Pictured middle

While at Selfridges in London celebrating the 100th year of the shop, she was alongside the London Mayor, Erin O’Connor (a previous Muse of the Month), Jodie Kidd and others.

Lily shows that she knows how to wear bold colours in a fresh way. The pop star rocked the biker jacket trend and wore Acne’s Smith Biker Jacket (£590 from Net-a-porter) in a shade of jungle green suede (it’s also available in crimson and black ).

The loose fit makes it the ideal piece to throw over a dress as she does here.  On another occasion leaving the Tabernacle music venue in London she wore the jacket with boyfriend jeans.

A huge fan of designer handbags and a key part of her look, Allen is pictured left with an Yves Saint Laurent one. She has also been seen in the past with a Prada Royal Calf Rosette Clutch.

Pictured far right

Lily Allen went floor length sophisticated in a fab dark blue dress (no it’s not black) for an evening at Automat in London. Again her green suede Acne jacket came out, the third outfit we’ve seen her wear it with. We are loving the nude shoes, Chanel pearl necklace and dark nail polish on her too.

This month’s Muse of the month is 31 year old British model, fashion columnist, vice chair of the British Fashion Council and fellow fashion website writer (she contributes to Vogue online), Erin O’Connor.

Erin O’Connor’s look is defined by her hair, her height and her androgynous look and was scouted while still a school girl when she attended the Clothes Show live (in Birmingham, UK) back in 1995.  Karl Lagerfeld dubbed her as “one of the best models in the world” and by many others as the quintessential “imperfect beauty”.    The hazel-eyed model‘s Irish surname is from her Dad who hails from Northern Ireland.

Sometimes called a Supermodel, Erin dislikes the term, referring to the Supermodel era as another age.  She is a well spoken model onto her own self, with a genuine interest in mentoring the young, up-and-coming models on how to survive the harsh world of modelling.

Erin O’Connor’s Style

On the left Erin looks so elegant in this orange Ashley Isham dress which she wore to the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition Preview Party in 2008. The ruffled skirt and bodice is broken up with a black-patent belt.  Accessories were kept to a minimum in the form of a gold Swarovski bag. Given the nature of her dress - which is a statement in itself – we admire this minimalist accessory choice.

Pictured bottom, her hairstyle is quite Cleopatra-esque, not a look many can pull off well – but she does so with such panache adding some blood orange lipstick to the mix.

Yet in the top image, she has the ability to wear an old Hollywood glamour look with deep red lipstick.

During the summer Erin enjoys festival-going like the rest of us. Here she rocks the polka dot look where she wears with a bandana, long sleeved T-shirt and jeans.  It’s nice to know that she has her dress down days too.

The Model Agent

Back in 1995 Fiona Ellis, a model agent and scout, picked Erin as she couldn’t get over the attractiveness of her strong nose, which Erin hated at the time and which has now become an alluring feature which defines her look. That and her swan like neck which is immediately visible due to her short hairstyle.

This month Erin O’Connor has graced Irish TV as part of the show The Model Agent on Monday nights on RTE 2 at 10.25pm.  Erin and the model scout Ellis are looking for a certain face that can stop traffic, sell a beauty product or define the latest designer collection launch.

The first thing that struck us seeing Erin O’Connor on TV is that she’s sooooo tall (6 foot) , towering over the 12 hopeful Irish girls who are hoping to win a prestigious modelling contract and become the first Irish model in 15 years to grace the front cover of Image magazine (a top Irish fashion magazine).

Erin’s role in the programme is to mentor the entrants, giving them first-hand advice based on her highly successful modelling career.  The whatshewears.ie team look forward to seeing Erin in action on The Model Agent over the coming weeks.

The film Coco avant Chanel (Coco before Chanel) is due to hit the big screen later this year.  Watch out and put your culture hat on (as well as your fashionista hat), as the film will be in French with English subtitles. The French actress, Audrey Tautou (32), of Amelie fame, plays the role of young Coco Chanel.

The world premiere of Coco avant Chanel took place this week on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.  Apparently the much-hyped about film certainly lives up  to expectations.  Audrey Tautou tells the story of Coco Chanel – a designer  and fashion icon who changed the way women dressed forever.

To give you a sneak preview of what’s to come when Coco avant Chanel hits the big screen late on this year -  Coco herself, realising that she had nothing to wear to go dancing, ordered a local dressmaker to make her a dress. The one he made her was plain, black and without a corset which was against the fashion at the time.

The dressmaker was horrified but Coco wowed  the pastel wearing girls of that time (1920′s) and hence the famous Chanel Little Black Dress (LBD) was born.

Karl Lagerfeld had some input into the costumes and although we haven’t yet seen the outfits from the film -  we just know it will be vintage girls heaven! 

In the meantime, we will settle for a simple, classic Breton top which conjures up the essence of Chanel.  Breton tops, as the French name indicates, originated in Brittany (France) and are simple, nautical-looking tops, which, inspired by Chanel, are hugely favoured by fashionistas like Alexa Chung.  

Just add some Chanel Number 5 perfume and you’re nearly there.  Did you know that in 1921 Chanel came out with her first signature fragrance, Chanel No. 5.  This perfume was the first to have a designers name attached to it. Just think, decades later, Nicole Kidman features in the  the Chanel number 5 TV advert which turned out to be most expensive ad every made.