Mini Update after NY Fashion Week is over...

So this is the first informal entry by NYSH Editor! Something is different for me during this recent NY Fashion Week. Unlike past seasons where I was merely attending and liberated to make any frivolous observation, this time I had to work in many behind the scenes. Although I am abide by the confidential agreement, I normally feel free to share the experience with my audience and readers. However I considered this as a new experience for me, simply put it as the serious side of the business. Along with corporate nature of it, comes corporate privacy. Until I learn on how to express this as a educational information instead of hot fashion gossip I feel that I am not at liberty to divulge such knowledge.

As of the fashion opinion regarding of show after show? I leave that at my coffee shop conversation with my crew composed of models, photographers, writers from various background. I am not trying to be a judge or teacher here as these professions come with a consequence of being scrutinized themselves at a greater and disparaging standard.
On the lighter note, check out some sneak pic of my Fashion Night Out contributions!

From Left-Right Clockwise:

Giuseppe Zanotti (signed by the designer himself at the boutique);
Chanel (During Fashion Night Out, the boutique on 5th Avenue gave an opportunity for clients to be the first in the United States to order a custom-made classic Chanel Classic flap bag. Of course I was one of the few on the list. The clients were allowed to choose their choice of color of the lamb leather outter leather, inner lining, and type of hardware. Also, engraved initial letters was an option. The masterpiece then will be ready for pick up or delivery within 6 months, until then I will not disclose my choice of color/hardware combination);
TOD'S; Tory Burch; Gucci.
Not pictured: Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin, Hermes, Herve Leger, YSL.

How Soon Is Too Soon

By Contributing Editor
Julia G

Some say that in order to get over a lost love, one needs half the time the actual relationship lasted. Others believe that nothing mends a broken heart like an instant rebound (or five). However, everyone deals with loss differently, and the amount of time necessary to heal after a breakup completely depends on the individual. There is no “acceptable” time frame, although the opinion of those around us may influence us to feel differently in these sensitive circumstances.

One may feel wrong to start a new relationship quickly after a breakup, especially since society tends to judge such a decision rather negatively. Having come across this situation myself recently, I began to wonder what is considered to be the “appropriate” way to conduct myself.

After ending a six month relationship, I accidentally found a guy with the exact qualities I have been searching for in a boyfriend from the moment I started dating, and the lack of which led to the dissolution of my previous relationship. Although it had been less than a month, I was positive that I had no feelings left for my ex and was ready to move on. Inevitably, my head was filled with nagging questions: What would my friends say if I started dating a new guy already?
Would he feel like a rebound? What would my ex-boyfriend think when he found out? However, after long hours of thinking, I concluded that this decision is solely mine to make, and while listening to the opinion of those I love may be helpful, this is still my life to live.

We create our own happiness and we are the only ones responsible for it. So instead of waiting for “enough time” to pass or some sort of go-ahead sign from friends, I let myself dive right into a new relationship and it was truly the best decision I could have made. Not once have I felt guilt or regret – I did what was right for me, and am the happiest I have felt in a while. Therefore, the moral of the story is that when it comes to seeing someone new after going through a breakup, you are the only one who can decide when the time is right. Personally, I do not believe in starting a new serious relationship in order to forget about the ex, this usually just leads to more confusion and hurt feelings, and not only your own. But if you do happen to stumble upon Prince Charming after parting ways with a frog, then please do yourself a favor – disregard everyone else’s opinions let your inner princess get swept off her feet.

Photo courtesy of NYSH
Models:

Evan R
Jody C
Alex W

Photographer:
Daniel O

NYSH SEPTEMBER 2009 EDITORIAL

Model: Milla Tuori
Photographer: Dylan Harrison Bodnar
Assistant to the photographer: Trea
Producer: Daniel Oceani

NYSH TEST SHOOT

Another Test Shoot

Photographer: Dylan Harrison Bodnar

Model: Trea

I first saw Trea's work at Nylon Magazine, he's definitely a fresh one in the industry with more to come. Keep up the good work!

NYSH SEPTEMBER 2009 EDITORIAL PREVIEW

NYSH TEST SHOOT

Photographer: Dylan Harrison Bodnar
Model: Alexa West

FASHION POLICE

By NYSH Fashion Critic,
Mahyara

Here I am again. The week not even really started and there I was out in the city searching for my next victim. Guess what? I found a lifetime sentence one. Actually, this week I found I lot of them. So I called “ Wrong Fashion Statements Weekly Phenomenon.” Which happens often. I’m serious, maybe it is because of the hot weather that can make people drowsy, consequently they don’t think really well before they get dressed. I was around the 34th street when this miracle happened, I saw my victim getting in to Forever 21. Guess what I did? I also went in. I needed to take a picture of that faux pas. I sound like a stalker but don’t worry, I’m not. I’m just someone that can’t believe how people leave their houses without looking in the mirror.

This lovely lady, as I like to call my victims, deserves a round of applause or maybe a minute of silence. The self-confidence and courage that she has is not even questionable. I think she woke up and said, “ I’m going to be trendy today.” Smart? Ups, I’m sorry but no. I don’t even know why a brand produces this style of garment for big girls. I want to point out that I have nothing against people that are overweight. Because once I was also overweight. But this outfit is KILLING her body.

Let me tell you something, when you have some extra pounds STAY AWAY from bubble skirt/dress, they just make you look bigger. Plus, where is the rest of the skirt? It is TOO short. To complete her outfit, look at her boots. There’s nothing wrong with them alone. On the other hand, it is making her look shorter and makes us pay to much attention to her legs. If this was her intention, she did an amazing job. However, she forgot that if the Fashion Police catches her, she would go straight to Guantanamo Bay. Now, my advice here is whatever your weight is, 1 pound or 300 pounds, wear something that enhance your body first.
Please, do not forget the next time you leave your home be careful cause you can be the next.

Lots of love,
Mahyara

RELATIONSTYLE

By Contributing Editors
Stacie Corliss & Julia G

Last week, on an average New York summer’s day, we were strolling through Soho and came across a fascinating, less-than-average sight. Walking towards us was an impeccably put together WASP-y girl, clad in a Lilly Pulitzer dress and a set of pearls. What was shocking was that she happened to be holding hands with a gentleman, presumably her boyfriend, who looked like a slightly tamer version of Marilyn Manson -- tattoos, piercings, Doc Martins and all. However, this rather odd couple had undeniable chemistry and looked like they couldn’t be happier.

This got us thinking, how can such seemingly different people be attracted to each other, and how does one’s personal style relate to the type of person one is drawn to? After several conversations with friends and colleagues, some research, and really thinking about how we would answer this question, we came to a conclusion that is far from simple. The way a person chooses to dress usually transforms during the course of a lifetime and directly relates to the way that person wants to be seen by others in a particular time. It is one of the most personal forms of self-expression, as it is often the first and only way one is judged by society, i.e. strangers on the street. For example, a teenager may want to rebel against her conservative parents by dressing like a punk rocker, yet end up in tweed later on in life, dating a Wall Street banker rather than the guy she met at a Blink-182 concert in 10th grade. Most people in their twenties are in the process of discovering their place in the world and who they are, including the way they choose to dress and whose hand they’ll be holding walking through Soho. Often, we date people who compensate for the qualities that we do not possess ourselves but admire. This explains the apparently mismatched couples who find true happiness together, because in a way they balance one another. Yet other times, people who are secure and established look for a partner who has similar views and life values, which explains the couples who are so similar they are occasionally confused for siblings.

Therefore, as strange as it may sound, our choices in fashion and who we date are very much related to one another, as both are a way of not only expressing, but also fulfilling ourselves.

Editor's Note:
Both Stacie and Julia are wonderful models living in New York City. Their sense of style and fashion are both striking and sophisticated. With their lips painted with vivid rouge Dior lipstick, and armed with Fendi B Bag they take the street and this article by the storm.

Photo courtesy of NYSH

NOTICE

I apologized for the unnoticed hiatus but I have been working on the administrative and business side of this blog. It should come back up and running again as of tomorrow. I hope everything is going great with each one of you.

NYSH AUGUST EDITORIAL

Without further due, here is NYSH August Editorial featuring models Pasha, Conya, Alexa, Colleen. They show great enthusiastic and spirit and each is special with their own look. The photographer chooses the theme that conveys emotion, mysterious yet softly romantic. Thank you for everyone on set that help to create our first editorial.





Photographer: Dylan Harrison
Assistant to the photographer: Tre
Producer: Daniel Oceani
Managing Director: Danica Kleinknecht
Stylist: Elise Casey
Models:

Pasha Kalachev
Colleen Rose
Conya Holness
Alexa West

Outfit by Models’ own + prepared outlook and Jewelry by Monika Malkowski’s Silent Gypsy Jewelry

Silent Gypsy Jewelry

“I admit it’s tempting to wish for the perfect boss, the perfect parent- or the perfect outfit. But maybe the best any of us can do is not quit, play the hand we’ve been dealt, and accessorize what we’ve got.”- Carrie Bradshaw

It was an evening sometimes in late spring. I found myself in a posh restaurant somewhere in midtown with a friend of mine who is also a jewelry designer. We were there to discuss about her new collection, but to me it was a night of style philosophy talk.

You see, I was one of those kids that prematurely matured. My life was decked out with the pressure of making into varsity team in sports, a seat in student body government, getting into a good college, an impeccable internship, and the list goes on. My conservative surrounding did not help either, as if I wore a uniform even when I was not in school. When finally I reached to college, the circumstance around my apparel did not change. Although my closet was considered as amalgamate of styles, I still found myself limited.

Throughout these vicious cycles there was only one solution that I overlooked for quite sometime: accessory. It dawned on me that there was a reason why I made an impression to my college admission interviewer, to my peers during school vice presidential candidacy, or just some flirt interests in social events. Despite my reserved attitude, and conservative attire, my accessory always salvages me from turning into the invisible one.

That night, while I was reviewing my friend’s new collection I understood something. An accessory such as jewelry is an extension of who you are. Just like the essence of time, it can be use destructively or constructively. Of course most people would rather choose the latter than the former but even something that looks so raw, so undetermined, can have people besotted in the first sight. To me that is what Silent Gypsy Jewelry all about.

Monika Malkowski is a New England born jewelry designer who is very talented at what she does. “It’s very industrial, hipsterish” said Malkowski about her new collection. I am enchanted on how her line works. They layers very well, and works together. Each piece is composed of variety of metals, structures that make it very unique and not very easy to read or understand but nonetheless beautiful. Although it can be a process to comprehend the piece, the interesting part is that it conjures something in you that make you instantly know something bout it. I figured it works the same way with antiques- except her line works with both contemporary and classic perspectives.

With her experience in working for two other jewelers in the past three years she decided to break out on her own. “My jewelry is affordable, as a girl in my mid 20’s I can’t afford $200 necklace just to play”. Regardless of the price, the quality and the style are very satisfying and unforgettable. Even during NYSH July editorial photo shoot, one of the models decided to buy a piece on the spot. That symbolizes the affordability and the captivation of Silent Gypsy Jewelry.

Silent Gypsy Jewelry can be visited at www.silentgypsyjewelry.com
Photos courtesy of www.silentgypsyjewelry.com

Your Rights in Underwear

By Chris Sopher
http://www.youngerthinking.com/2009/07/13/your-rights-in-underwear/

THE QUESTION: What kind of privacy rights should students have at school, and how far can schools go in their efforts against drugs?"The decision does not legalize the carrying of prohibited items in your bra to school, a fact that’s sure to disappoint drug dealers hoping to buy products like this one. The majority opinion centered on the legality of the strip-search and the humiliation it caused Redding. The entire incident stems from an aggressive effort in recent years by school districts to crack down on drugs, with most adopting zero-tolerance policies and stringent penalties for students found with drugs on school property (refresher for those who haven’t been to school in a while: schools usually prohibit over-the-counter medication like Tylenol as well as illegal drugs)."

Read the rest of the entry here

Editor's Note:

Chris Sopher is currently a senior Morehead scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a writer and multimedia journalist. His works can be followed at www.youngerthinking.com . Sopher has been a great influence to me and to everyone around him since our high school days. We have a complete different field of interest yet we both share the same passion of journallism.

Don't Shop! Pass it on

If you like Fashion, but concern about recession
See this
and pass it on!

Weekly Fashion Police

By NYSH Fashion Police
Mahyara

There is a statement that says that New York City is the Fashion Capital of the World. Sometimes I ask myself if that’s really true. I have seen so many faux pas that is not even a joke. With my Iphone (the best creation in the world), I go around the city taking shoots of people that if I called the Fashion Police they would be at Guantanamo Bay right now.

My first post is going to be about this lovely lady that I meet walking down 5th avenue. I was about to call the Fashion Police and for sure this was going to be a lifetime sentence. I think she woke up and said “Ohh today I’m going to close my eyes and wear whatever I get.” Or maybe there weren’t any lights in her house.

Did it work? Uhm Nope. If she was just with the lace tights no problem, but she managed to add the plaid shirt, and Ohhh wait the lovely boots. Just for the record this person was walking the street thinking she was Kate Moss. My Advice here is wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and then choose one major piece, cause putting all fashion trends together doesn’t work. The next time you leave your home be careful cause you can be the next.

Lots of love

Mahyara

Editor's Note:
Mahyara is NYSH fashion critic. She is an energetic fashion enthusiast who speaks her mind and her style. Currently she is a student at Berkeley College and an intern at Catherine Malandrino office. NYSH loves her innate style philosophy and outspoken mind.

An American Girl in Côte d'Azur

By Contributing Editor
Kelly Christina Johnstone





There are times in a young New Yorker's life when the city that you love seems to have turned on you and even your dream one bedroom apartment with hardwood floors and a walk in-closet, becomes a metropolitan nest full of thorns rather than feathers. When you can't get a job at American Apparel even with a great resume and an internship at Nylon, or when the guy who swore he wouldn't break your heart proves that second chances really don't mean a thing, you might think the solution is to retreat to the comforts of your childhood home. In case that sounds like even more of a nightmare, then take my advice and try a stint on the sunny Cote d' Azur.

I was at this point a few weeks ago when my best friend and former college roommate, invited me to spend a month with her in the south of France. Our trip would start in Paris, eventually taking us 850 km down South to the summer playgrounds of the rich, beautiful, and famous.Her email invitation came as if inspired by some higher being that said “You Only Live Once!”and I jumped at the chance to leave behind my beloved but bruised big apple for a while.

Besides, it was fashion week in Paris and a few days of mingling with models and industry people in the city of lights couldn't be a bad idea.Did I max out my credit card booking a ticket with only 3 days advanced notice? Yes. Was it worth it? Definitely.Nostalgic for our former days as roommates on the Upper West Side,my friend and I started off our first night New York à la Parisienne, sipping Cosmos at a cafe in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and later partying until dawn at the MGM Models party at VIP room.After seven days of wine,fashion shows,museums, dinner at the beautiful George V,(did I mention the wine?) and we were buzzing out of Paris in her red Mini coop to the French Riviera.

After eight hours of driving, we were greeted by the soothing pastel tones of the le Marié's summer home. With a terrace surrounded by palm trees and orange hibiscus, this charming little beach house was the perfect retreat from my New York City abode. I had traded in my Fourth of July for Bastille day, but felt a similar comfort as I watched the explosion of blue, white, and red fireworks reflect in the water on La Croisette in Cannes. Adding to my newly adopted French heritage, I learned all of the traditions of l'apéritif,tried Pastis, saucisson, escargots and even improved on my French a little: “Les betteraves sont archis pourries” (the beets are super rotten!)The locals were more than friendly, offering to teach me “zee french kiss” or shouting out that I had dropped something on the floor wherever I went. “What?” I would ask,“mon cœur!” was always their answer.

Plastered on the front deck of a Jeanneau we worked on our tans and enjoyed the gentle rocking of the Mediterranean waves. It was along those fabled shores, between my best friend and the rich culture of Provence, that I finally felt... not like a whole new person, but like myself again... not clouded by New York pollution. I was revived and inspired by thebeautythat surrounded me. And who knew that with a little sunlight, Snow White's skin turned not pink, but a beautiful olivey-brown!

Now, at the final days of my trip, I leave for the States with a mind full of peace, eager to see my baby - New York, and reminded once again of the reasons we all moved there in the first place... for the energy, the opportunities, and the people... eccentric as they may be. I hope my City missed me as much as I have missed her. It has been a wonderful trip and I'll see you soon New York!

Love Always, Kelly

Editor's Note:
Kelly is an astonishing girl in many ways. She is currently a rising junior at Fordham University with many great experiences under her belt such as an opportunity in Nylon Magazine in the past and an internship at the ABC 7 News Desk in the fall. We always have fun together whether we are at the front row of Zegna Fashion Week or just simply dining out in downtown and tell each other our stories about fashion, loves, friendships, and life in the city.

NYSH JULY 2009 EDITORIAL PREVIEW

Watch for this month's NYSH Editorial. Coming up soon

Fashion in the Longue Durée

By Contributing Editor
Alexandra Marraccini

(A Young Academic’s Manifesto For Avoiding A Lifetime Of Neutral Cardigans And Other Aesthetic Atrocities)

Some little girls want to be ballerinas or astronauts. I want to be a Medieval Social Historian. That’s right a proud fusty antiquarian, a professor, a geek par excellence! But that doesn’t mean I’m cutting tulle or rocket scientist accessories out of my wardrobe. I’ve been given a lot of advice about what I’m going to have to wear to be taken seriously in the field and in academia in general. Here’s how I’m going to cope, and how I hope the new generation of female academe rocks the Neo-Gothic reading room scene:

1. Oversized plastic glasses are sexy. Yes, I have been told time and again, professionalism is important in the lecture hall and conference room, but it’s really hard to find a pair of unprofessional glasses. I work with manuscripts, and probably will work with manuscripts for the next fifty years. I thus have invested in a pair of really cool glasses. You know, like Enid’s, from Ghost World. If you are not a medievalist sort of nerd, and also invest in basics like velociraptor shirts from Salvation Army, you may be able to get away with the techy, titanium square version of such glasses. If you work in literary theory, they should be black, like the rest of your clothes.

2. Colours, like secondary sources written after 1997, are now acceptable. Tan looks bad on me. It probably looks bad on you too (pace Rodarte models). If I’m going to spend the next twenty years of my life wearing cardigans so as to look older than the undergraduates I will someday teach, they had better be cardigans from Anthropologie. Preferably with birds on them.

3. It’s time for the hoodie revolution. Hoods have been on hoodlums (of necessity), runways, and banned from the backs of British teenagers as of late. Agyness Deyn looks great in a hoodie. If it’s made out of a luxe enough fabric, and well-tailored enough so as not to appear pajama-like, I want to be able to give a lecture in it. Let’s start this revolution before I get through graduate school, please.

4. Forget about the dewy look. You know the cover models for Vogue this month? The ones that radiate virtually identical dewy freshness with nude/sheen lips and refined eyes? You’re never going to look like that after fourteen hours in the archives. Give up. I personally have decided to embrace the pseudo-grunge and pretend the dark circles under my eyes are really the latest kohl look from Sephora. The mocha remnant on your lips can also pass for lipstain if you’re lucky.

5. Don’t waste money on very small bags. You can’t fit books in them. Manuscript libraries give you a clear plastic bag for your nubby pencils, so forget about showing a tote or clutch off there. Finally, those canvas bags you get from academic presses or conferences are much more classy, and have the added incentive of making your colleagues jealous of your Vast And Inimitable Experience In The Field. English profs sport MLA totes, but next spring I’m going for the big kahuna—the MAA (Medieval Academy of America) canvas tote bag. Even with conference registration fees, it’s cheaper than Marc—and carries a lot more heavy scholarly monographs.

6. Nothing is hotter than a good research paper. Ever. Given a choice between Louboutin stilettos and perfectly formatted footnotes, choose the footnotes, even if it kills you. Personally, a few feet in the stilettos would probably kill me. If you take my view and go Bauhaus, try a pair of Clark’s—functional, cute, and walkable even in the tight stairwells of stacks. Don’t be a 2008 Prada model when you just want to get a reference book! Remember, if you break your ankles, the painkillers will make it harder to write your dissertation.

Editor's Note:
Alexandra Marraccini is a fashion and academic enthusiast who conducts her history study at Yale University. I always enjoy my intellectual fashion conversation with her during all my visits to Yale.

Lost Angel

If you found yourself roaming the streets of Los Angeles and wonder if everyone there is as superficial as what you have heard about the myth, well you’re wrong. The truth is that everywhere you go there are all kinds of people, and you will find the kinds that you want to find-or you could be surprised-. A close friend of mine from LA is someone who I think is the embodiment of what LA is all about- the free spirit, the long beautiful sandy blonde hair, the bohemian influenced style- yet also the antithesis. As in, she is not obsessed with pop culture, or pursuit of riches and fames. Tatjana McElroy is a model, singer, student and a writer. Growing up in Germany, she relocated to Los Angeles in her early years.

I still remember the first time we met two years ago she had on a loose white blouse and no make up on, yet her presence engaged everyone around her. There was this warmth aura about her, yet slightly intimidating. She had the look of a high fashion runway model but there was nothing mannequin about it. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are but you are so Chloé”, I made my remark. “Excuse me?” She replied with a slight perplexed expression. “I don’t know, when I saw you I feel like you belong in a campaign, specifically Chloé,” I replied. Let’s just say since that moment we became really close. Later she confessed to me that it was almost eerie I made that comment because Chloé is her favorite fashion house, and in fact her most prized possession is a pair of brown leather heels from the luxury prêt-a-porter brand.

While gracing cover or pages of magazines (Teen Vogue included), Tatjana still managed her studies (she conducted home school study) and pursuit her other talents in acting and in music. In fact, post high school she took a year off before attending Bard University in New York to go to Germany so she could immerse herself in her roots. After being back in LA, she pursuit her music further. I was not familiar with this side of her until my recent march 2009 visit to LA. “Check this out, tell me if you like it or not,” she handed me her Macbook and played a music. At first I thought it was Regina Spektor, or Kate Nash (Don’t reproach my inability to identify songs) but to my dismay I was wrong. Nonetheless I was impressed to discover it was Tatjana. Later that day we performed a free-style song with her playing the piano and I sang, well at least I attempted to.

Whether we are looking at her modeling portfolio, listening to her music, or observing her style, I think it is fair to surmise that there is something so random but structured and beautiful about her expression. It almost appears that she gives a sense of being lost, in a good way. Maybe it’s her curiosity, her freedom to explore, or just simply seeing her in elegant Missoni dress while driving like a typical New York taxi driver in the streets of LA.

Pictures Courtesy of Tatjana McElroy

Midtown Girl

It may be a little convenient truth about New York style when you intermix a boho, night life glamazon, upper east side prep student, and a fashion enthusiast. Some girls belong to one of these groups, sometimes two, and rarely all of the above. It is a rule when one juggles multiple different things—whether they be styles or tasks, to make the task at hands seem effortless—just ask those cirque de soleil talents—however, some do it impeccably. I came across this fashion talent in 18 year-old Alexa West. Whether I see her in the morning appearing nonchalantly casual or when we socialize in the night time, she always intrigues all the passerby and all people watchers alike in these seen-to be-seen events. A graduate of one of the prestigious preparatory high schools in Manhattan and soon to attend Georgetown University in the fall, her outfits resemble her personality. This involves an effortless yet very substantial look that evokes thoughts and emotions. She combines her sense of style with her art of juxtaposition resulting in a clever composition of an aesthetic look. One of her prized possessions is her round frame vintage Balenciaga sunglasses. They really stand out when she wears them with Balmain style destroyed washed jeans and killer heels. If there is any common denominator between Alexa and I, it is our penchant for vintage items. Vintage is not always a classic, but when they are they complement our modern and contemporary fashion items. Seeing her in person or in fashion photo Blogs, I love all her looks because all of them make you think. Moreover it makes you want to try to figure out, to search, to discern and to dissect. There is something so obvious yet very mysterious about it and so simple yet so intricate. I don’t know if it’s her black embroidery Valentino heels paired with a typical New York black leather jacket or her astonishing accessories. Nonetheless, if there is one thing I have learned from her style, its that people still see through past her crazy looks and want to get to know her as a person. Sure, most of the time she wears head-to-toe designers but surprisingly I never figure it out unless she tells me what they are. To me, that is truly a fashion girl. A lot of visible designer logos will cheapen one’s look and will make people see the labels but not the person behind them.

NYSH: How do you describe your fashion philosophy?

AW: Glamour and effortless style.

NYSH: From your recent trips to Portugal and China this past year what have you discovered in the fashion scene over there?

AW: In Lisbon there was a lot of graffiti and I think it is another way of expressing your style. In Shanghai it was pretty and I think it will be a substantial city of style soon.

NYSH: What are your keys to look good?

AW: Combining high end and cheap items. To look good is what I make my wardrobe, my closet is a foundation that works together.