Fruitful Shopping Weekend: Hair & Coat

This was a most fruitful shopping weekend - I managed to get my hair done on the major cheap, while also doing some significant research of great consequence, for you, my readers...(as well as for me, myself, and I).

Stop #1: My usual fantastic hair man, about whom you have read on these e-pages before (Helik at Dop Dop Salon), was unavailable to attend to my shouting roots. Yes, I may look like a natural blonde, and indeed I feel like one, but I have finally accepted the fact that it takes a lot of hard work to feel like a natural woman. So I was referred by a friend to Sam at Head Quarter Hair Colour Group on 2nd Ave. between 12th-13th Sts. Not only was it a successful outing (hair in photo was taken a mere hour afterwards), but it was CHEAP CHEAP CHEAPedity cheap cheap. Single process, eye brow tinting, cutting and blow out/styling for...$88. I will spell that out, in case you think it may be a typo: EIGHTY EIGHT DOLLARS. I was so thrilled that I tipped in excess of 20%.

So not only was it cheap and good, but it was one of those real "only in New York" experiences. Sam and all but one of the stylists and assistants are group of incredibly hip Japanese boys. Hair, clothes, tattoos - the whole nine. These guys are on point and it worked for me. Is Japanese the new black? Anyway, the salon is completely non descript and un-trendy - white Formica and fluorescent lighting. Quite horrible, in fact. But one way they keep a low overhead, I am sure.

And if that isn't enough, there was another "heeuuuhh?" scenario. There was one middle-aged female stylist in the back corner - I couldn't catch the accent exactly, but she may be Eastern European - and ALL of her clientele were "mature" white women, seemingly from Stuy Town...cruising solid into the East Village on their canes and walkers.

While my explanation may be completely edging on offensive and non-PC, I couldn't keep it to myself. Cheap+Hip Japanese+Old Ladies+white Formica+fluorescent lighting=New York just has to be the greatest place in the Western World.

Stop #2: I have written good and bad words about An Ren - at 315 East 9th Street - on this blog before. But ultimately, she has incredibly unique styles, fabrics and designs...and she did not disappoint me on that front this weekend either. I just can't get enough of her coats and jackets, and might be more inclined to buy them and her other wares - but I am a giant American with the shoulders and back of a swimmer. This seems to limit what I can fit into when it comes to the downtown indie designer set.

However! I managed to fit into the coat pictured here - and I love it. It is a bit more cash than I am interested in spending (about $325), but the material, colors and design is really like nothing I have ever seen. It could arguably be worn as a dress in a bit cooler weather.

Stay tuned for more shopping triumphs from the weekend...

An Ren: Falling Down the Charts

Remember when I sang the praises of An Ren, the women's clothing boutique located at 315 East 9th St., a couple of months ago? Where I found the "coat that saved me" for an acceptable price?

WELL.

As you can see from the pictured button, I need some help...for the giant, unique button on coatie cracked during dry cleaning and is no longer functional. It is not a button that is easily replaced.

So I went in personally with the button, the coat, my card, AND a print out of the blog page on which I was so very complimentary towards the store and the great coats and other designs and explained my problem to the saleswoman.

A week passed and I didn't hear from them. So I called. The same saleswoman assured me that the owner herself was coming in and would be dealing with all customer issues in the next day or two. I checked to make sure that she still had my contact information, which she did.

I have NEVER heard back.

So I have taken it upon myself for the time being to move a less utilized button to the place where this much needed button used to live. But I am not particularly happy about or impressed with the service.

Remember: SERVICE COUNTS FOR A LOT!

An Ren Boutique: The Coat that Saved Me

I have such a tale of angst and woe. A story of epic proportions. A tragedy about a Christian Dior coat -- stolen! -- right out of my friends' apartment at a New Year's Eve party several years ago...

I found the best coat ever in the whole wide world on major sale at a store in my beloved Seacaucus, NJ. This was a long time ago when I had minimal expendable cash, so it may have been the find of my life. I loved coatie - as I affectionately called him - and coatie loved me. People would oggle at coatie's fine, singular design. Alas, you already know how this sad tale ends. I quested for many many years to find a replacement, and my dear dad even gave me the money to do so. I did purchase several nice coats over the years - some at Century 21, some at Aaron's, but none truly mitgated my sense of deep loss.

Then, last year, I came upon An Ren, a women's clothing boutique located at 315 East 9th St. Although coatie can never be truly replaced, the garment I found here, at a somewhat reasonable price (less than $400) is unique, fresh and has the sickest (sickest in a good way) pink satin lining I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Perhaps not fully realized in the photo, the coat is made from a very tactile material, and the style is reminiscent of a tuxedo jacket with tails on steroids. It's freaking cool. Thank you An Ren.

Side note - if anyone is interested in getting a "Friends and Family" coupon for 30% off regularly priced merchandise at Mexx (I will write about this store one day soon) let me know, give me your email address and I will forward it to you. It's good Oct. 27 - Nov. 5 only.