Mary Kate Olsen takes a peek at some nudes...at the New York Academy of Art bash...

The annual Take Home a Nude bash run by the New York Academy of Art was all a buzz last night at Sotheby's as the diminutive Mary Kate Olsen tip toed in  - past a weird picket line of Teamsters, (who i'm guessing were venting their rage at upper east siders being out on a Monday night in their natural habitat of, oh... the upper east side....)

The event, as usual, was a high octane spin through a few galleries of art pieces up for auction. Armed with a pencil, a cocktail and a credit card to burn, it's funny how the bidding seemed to escalate as the countdown to each gallery room closure was yelled across the mic by the weirdly gimp masked master of ceremonies.

Padma Lakshmi took a turn around the room, as did Harpers editor Glenda Bailey and the ever frothy Robert Verdi (sans signature shades on his head...pourquoi?).

Sadly the closest I got to phsyically taking home a nude was peering at a haunting photo of an Ipanema beach scene...once I'd figured out I could probably fly there and take the same photo myself for less money, the item had been snapped up by someone else.

In terms of fashion, we saw beautiful Erikson Beamon statement necklaces, new Prada pumps with this seasons heel...appropriately in nude, (as sported by my blog buddy Photos From a Stylist). As well as some bizarre fascinator flower head gear that seemed to be missing the point that the wearer was neither a) Kate Middleton nor b) at the Kentucky Derby.

As for me? My Adrienne Landau marabou feather gilet got it's fair share of papparazzo attention, so it had to be hastily retired and packed off back to it's Stepford gilded cage, for fear of it catching fright and taking flight into the nippy New York air.

 For more Notes from a Stylist click here....

Citi and American Airlines Launch new MasterCard in Style

If you're looking to launch a new MasterCard in the current economy, let's face it, you better either have some damn good incentives, or a super hot launch party complete with requisite celeb stylists and rock stars. Funnily enough, just last night, Citi and American Airlines managed to pull that off all under the stunning backdrop of Grand Central Station in New York, where they've brought The Admirals Club lounge to Vanderbilt Hall

Commuters were drawn to peek in at the buzzy atmosphere as Gavin DeGraw belted out his hit 'Not Over You', and whilst this Stylist was swooning over her new musical crush, she also managed to sneak in a quick free 'messy up-do' by celeb stylists Joel Warren and Edward Tricomi of Warren Tricomi fame.

After a little banter with the boys about their own rock band adventures, the latest on the New York club scene, and some advice on creating my 'up-do' at home in 5 minutes with a curling iron....yeah right...it was time to pay attention to Citi's Terry O'Neil.

So here's the gig The Citi Executive/AAdvantage World Elite MasterCard hands you a bunch of member privileges as well as let's you spend money - what's not to like?

There's Admirals Club membership privileges, no foreign transaction fees on purchases, enhanced airport experiences like priority check in and pre-boarding, as well as waived baggage charges for your first domestic checked bag. Quite frankly they had me at 'priority check in'...but Gavin DeGraw did probably swing it for them on the night.

Clearly Terry O'Neil must have seen a few airport lounges in his time, so when asked which is his favorite globally he plumped for JFK.

As for the style on the night? Apart from Messrs. Warren & Tricomi who belie their years and ooze effortless style, we saw this seasons polka dots in dresses and pumps and the most gorgeous vintage booties amongst the city suits.

The Admirals Club lounge is at Vanderbilt Hall until Wednesday, opening daily at 11.30am, so pop on in on your commute home.

For more info on the card take a peek here...

For more from Notes from a Stylist have a nose here... 

Fashion Trend Alert for Spring/Summer 12...Orange!

Jenny Packham S/S12

As the old fashion adage goes: 'And three's a trend' - if you've been investing in orange this summer then you've already nailed one of next Summer's brights. You can't sit through a fash week show at Mercedes-Benz fashion week in New York without that citrus hue jumping out at you.

Callula Lillibelle S/S12

Carlos Miele S/S 12

Jenny Packham S/S12

Today, from polka dots at Callula Lillibelle, to draped gowns at Carlos Miele through to orange sparkles at Jenny Packham - if it ain't orange it ain't hip. Get your Tom Ford sunnies on and start working it.

Carlos Miele goldfish print skirt : S/S12

With that in mind, I'm hot footing it to my local mall as soon as the week is over to see what I can snag in the last call sales...

For more New York Fashion Week news take a peek at the Notes from a Stylist blog here

Notes from a Stylist's Top Tips on Surviving Sidewalk Sales

Above: My spoils of war

There's not much that slows me down on the shopping front - apart from the odd dodgy wifi internet connection...which I'm sure my hubs has put into place with Cablevision - you know one of those 'I'll cross your palm with silver if you cut the wifi whenever my wife approaches an online shop site' kind of deals - but then I'm all over a good conspiracy theory a la Rupert Murdoch & News of the World.

So this week not even the 100f heat wave could stop me taking a peek at the annual Stepford sidedwalk sale frenzy. This shopping bonanza sees all sorts of malarchy from desparate teeny tiny housewives hammering on Tory Burch store fronts to satiate their desire for a good deal, to teens flash mobbing LF stores in their eagerness to snap up a boho bargain

"They just said they're not opening till 10!" said one aghast shopper who was front of line at Tory - at least the staff had the wherewithall to provide a rather cute chaise lounge for the sweating punters to avail themselves of during that horrific half hour wait. I'm sure there will be therapists all over Stepford working overtime to placate nervous breakdowns related to this four day shopathon.

The great institute that is an American sidewalk sale does come with some risks attached. So here are a couple of helpful hints for those of you mulling over the idea of heading out this weekend....

Guerilla tactics are key - keep your eyes and ears open and use stealth in your approach to each store front - it's amazing what an overheard snippet can save on the shopping front...at Scoop I overheard one assistant whisper to the other that all they had out front was last seasons tat and inside there were no mark downs...nugget of knowledge duly digested, I saved 15 minutes and skipped further down the Avenue to my next port of call.

Think jumble sale 'grab and clutch to your bosom' mentality until you've decided wether you really want/need the item you've just snatched up in front of your Lilly Pulitzer clad neighbor.

Take water with you..yes some stores start off at 9am with a bottle or two but by 9.30am they are out, (or at least the assistants have doused themselves in Poland Spring in order to keep their tempers from fraying too early on).

Flats are an essential - maybe take a few practice runs in the pair of gladiators or brogues you are planning to wear in order to cut down on wasted time at CVS hunting down blister remedies.

Don't bother going with friends - it's a solo gig - real shoppaholics don't have time to engage in witty banter about this or that as they plow through racks of clothing. You may have the chance to respond to the odd text or instagram chat whilst you're dashing to your next destination, but please, wasting time dawdling with your buddy does not win you the spoils of the day.

Get a Shopper on the Go App - a fab new app that saves you the trouble of schlepping up and down the sidewalk looking for sales - it uses a sat nav technology to direct you straight to the stores with savings to be had.

Check out Fall 11 trends before you go - there's always a bunch of pieces on sale that can act as transitional items or great knitwear from last season that will run over to next season.

Aim for accessories rather than clothing - believe me you don't want to be lining up to try things on when all hell is breaking loose inside a store.

If you're crazy enough to plan on bringing kids...let alone a buggy with bambino's in - think again. You might be able to get that pushchair over the threshold but no self respecting sidewalk sale warrior is going to let you get any further in that store lest she loses a bargain.

Lastly - always take time to espy your next investment - i've got my eye on this rather charming Stella McCartney wool cape...now if only I could figure out when the Fall sales are....

For more from Notes from a Stylist click here....

Notes from a Stylist at the TriBeCa Ball 2011

You've gotta love a TriBeCa Ball, run by the New York Academy of Art, it's a chance for the great and the good of New York - i.e. those with money, to take a peek at the emerging artists from NYAA - i.e. those who are skint.

The evening tends to pass buy in a jocular manner as socialites and celebs teeter around the tiny stalls that the artists inhabit by day - which have been lovingly spruced up for the big occasion. Whilst the poor artists are thrown in at the deep end with their first forray into serious sales i.e. they want to flog their work to you.

For celeb spotting there was Eileen Guggenheim, Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts, Baz Luhrmann and Alexandra Richards. I did see Robert DeNiro's name on the check in list but I guess he had other parts of TriBeCa to manage that night. There were a plethora of designers - Rachel Roy, Cynthia Rowley and Kate and Andy Spade. Even Serena Shvo in the tiniest gold Herve Leger dress I've ever witnessed.

So what about the actual art...

We saw oil on canvas, prints, installations - including a bizarre brillo pad sculpture that could surely have recycling value should you run short of cleaning materials once you are bored of the picture. There were magicians and a rather annoying dancing girl who was sweating proffusely and roaming the 5 storey building being trailed by an accompanist on an accordian - I'm not sure if that was art in motion or just the entertainment.

And then there was my favorite - the people watching ....

For my bit I kept the UK support group going by purchasing a cute print from the lovely Imogen Slater - a Brit striving to make her mark in New York, who had very cute shoes on...

Notes from a Stylist is currently craving Bande Des Quatres Jewelry...

Not that I'm obsessed with statement rings or anything this season, but I was just penning an article for www.runningwithheels.com about the jewelry line Bande Des Quatres based in New York, and found that there were so many rings I immediately started covetting, I couldn't keep this new label for just the RWH crew.

The brainchild of designer Erin Wahed, who comes up with the concepts and then collaborates with uber chic jeweler Janis Kerman to create the brand, these babies are set to become a 'must-have' on any style savvy fashionista's fingers.

I think I'm also a little bit smitten with the photographer Hugo Arturi who took these images. Anyone who can make these stunning rings even more funky, with the art direction help of Erin and creative direction from Loris Pignoletti, has got to be worth his weight in gold.... or at least the 18Kt yellow and palladium white gold that the pieces are crafted out of.

Prices start from around $425 and are available at www.bandedesquatres.com

Spring/Summer 11 Trends...Are you Team Ballet or Team Burlesque?

I blame Nathalie Portman and Christina Aguilera for this one... a couple of dance movies and what do you know? Designers turn to tulle and lace with a vengeance. There hasn't been dance inspired clothing like this since The Red Shoes plie'd onto the silver screen back in the day...

I can’t figure out whether to be on Team Ballet or Team Burlesque...

The Stepford Wife's Workout Essentials...

Coming up to my 3rd year in Stepford you'd think one might grow accustomed to the foibles of the local inhabitants..

Wifus Stepfordicus is a truly strange breed, not to be confused with the aspirational lesser spotted New Jersey House Wifus, or indeed the more brazen, well documented New York House Wifus... The Stepford Wife spends her day preening and primping, toying and tittilating until the hunter gatherer Prep Man returns with his spoils.

As part of the daily ritual the gym/bikram yoga/personal trainer comes only second to the initial hit of caffeine obtained from Starbucks/LPQ/Insert local french pattiserie of choice. But as the winter months draw in, it's the plumage of the Stepford Wife that begins to decree her standing in the community.

A NJ wife might be happy to spend her morning ritual clad in a Juicy Couture track suit, the Stepford Wife however, is mostly seen in Lululemon - the 'wicking friendly' sports attire that ensures this creature does not look like she's actually breaking a sweat during the observance of calorie burning. In addition, as the frigid weather closes in, full fur seems to be the only accessory of choice to transport this fragile species from one heated leisure facility to another.

This reporter also spotted a power walker in full length fur only yesterday striding through the picket fenced neighborhood, complete with fur ear muffs.... only in Stepford!