Look, Ma! It’s Me! In Bill Cunningham’s “On the Street” column in The New York Times

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Bill Cunningham's On the Street in The New York Times

Bill Cunningham’s On the Street in The New York Times

Shucks, BIll. THANK YOU!!!

I was planning to honor the delightful Bill Cunningham with his own “Sighted” FW posting (see next post), when my attention was drawn to his column by P early this morning and, well, what can I say. Yes. There I am. Middle far left, albeit from the waist down, the one with the embroidered stiletto booties peaking out below my ecru passementerie charcoal skirt and charcoal coat. Sigh. My last day at Lincoln Center for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Fall 2013 collections and finally my look was a winner. (Truth be told, I’d been snapped here and there the whole week. So, it’s not like I was checking out the shows dressed like a bag lady or anything like that!)

Actually, this is the fourth time I’ve been included in the The Styles section in Bill’s On the Street column, and the third that I’ve been snapped by Bill and made the edit for the weekly spread with my shoes. Wonder why?!! Those who know me, know the answer!.

For those who don’t know, I’d say I come by it naturally.  My mother has and my grandmother had novelty shoe collections, plus my mother modeled shoes when she was in college. I try to keep my footwear in control, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Retail therapy? Yes. Especially at the cool vintage stores near me in the East Village? Yes, please.

Okay, the back story. These beautiful booties are made by Free Lance. According to the website Sarenza, “Free Lance was founded in 1980 and since then has become a benchmark for beautiful shoes. The collection is designed by Guy and Yvon Rautureau, fourth-generation bootmakers since 1870, then manufactured from exceptional leather using traditional methods in La Gaubretière in the French region of Vendée. This attention to detail and quality results in limited-edition boots of all styles that truly stand out from the crowd. Free Lance is a brand of shoe beloved of fashion writers and now distributed in huge numbers of sales outlets from New York to Tokyo.” Check. Check. And check.

But the true beauty of these booties? They were a gift to me from my dear friend and interior designer/chef extraordinaire/publicist Ilene when she was paring down her apartment belongings and editing down her gorgeous, globally-acquired fashion goodies. I’d say I lucked out in more ways than one. THANK YOU, Ilene!!!

You can click here, below, or above in the caption to view my little 15 centimeters of fame on the Times’ site.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2013/02/17/fashion/17STREET.html?ref=fashion

Here’s the whole black-and-white thang, below, as I teamed up with Fern Mallis‘s own BNW gorgeousness for pix in the lobby of the tents at Lincoln Center this past week. Btw, I’m wearing an old Anna Sui skirt, a vintage fur lining as a vest (sorry JB!), H&M sweater and a black silk peasant blouse by Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, the boots are obvs Free Lance and the earrings, can’t quite remember,  perhaps a street vendor or Strawberry’s?!!

The whole enchilada, with Fern Mallis's own black-and-white theme going on.

The whole enchilada, with Fern Mallis’s own black-and-white theme going on.

14 thoughts on “Look, Ma! It’s Me! In Bill Cunningham’s “On the Street” column in The New York Times”

  2. kim cihlar Post author

    Thanks, Jill. I adore him, as well. He is an icon. Love your coverage in Apartment Therapy! We will have to get together for tea and celebrate soon. Miss ya! xx

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    1. kim cihlar Post author

      Holly, we should put our pix together in a post! It is absolutely the best Sunday morning surprise. Wakey, wakey, eggs and — oh! no bacon needed! Smile!

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  4. teri

    heya Kim….you’re so pretty and ageless in this original look! I checked you out that day on your way into the tents that day. the fur vest, the floral pattern on your boots, the full skirt– it’s a fly hookup that’s “organic” to use the term of the moment! Translation: you don’t look contrived… it’s obvious you have a natural knack for fashion.KUDOS!!!!!!

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    1. kim cihlar Post author

      thank ya, Teri! you are soooo sweet. and right backatcha, I might add! Thanks for thinking it’s “organic.” I love to style pieces together that you might not necessarily think would work with each other. I’ve been waiting for just the right streak of inspiration to wear that Anna Sui skirt. It finally all came together that day! Love ya!

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    1. kim cihlar Post author

      I take a 6 but a 10 feels so much better. Isn’t that your joke, Barb?!!! I only wish you wore my shoe size, I have so many cool pairs that I don’t wear anymore and I’d love someone I know to be my size so they could go to a “good home!” Thinking about doing eBay. Anyone out there a 6-7 who’s in the market for some cool kicks?!!!

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    1. kim cihlar Post author

      Yep, thanks for remembering! I know I was in one BC post with John Bartlett years ago, where we were both wearing stripes in juxtapositioning manners, I think mine went vertically, his were horizontal, leaning on a column back to back. I think it was an FIT event. Another time it was my criss-cross platforms that were a little like Mary Janes-meet-ballet-shoes, hard to describe. And another time it was black shiny sandals I’d gotten in Florence or Milan that wrapped up my leg. I’ve just gotten back into wearing my fancy shoes, my heels to be exact.

      Any other ladies find they’re drawn more to their flats these days?! When do you whip out the heels and endure torture tootsies?!

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