Manhattan Meets Mexicali Giveaway

The ethereal blooms of spring have barely begun to fade and already the Grand Mademoiselle is endlessly daydreaming of hot, sticky, city summer eves. There is a certain glamour to the humid air that clings to the streets of uptown Manhattan in July, a sodden heaviness offset by the gaiety of a carefree night out. Imagine Rita Moreno and Natalie Wood languidly strolling about a balmy, darkened Upper West Side, the sidewalks glittering with fragments of mica below the yellow halos cast by sputtering street lamps. Despite the lethargy induced by the remnants of a searing summer day, a nocturnal Manhattan foray is torrid and sultry, evoking old Hollywood glamour mixed with the peppery zest of Baja bohemian sass. The blend of blistering inertia with feisty vigor is a clash of titanic fashion proportions, and the Grand M has found just the right pieces and new designers to make you wish you were posing seductively on the concrete steps of a brownstone, freshly laundered shirts hanging limply from balconies above. Like everyday slides of bohemian Manhattan filmproduktion. This is the random and spontaneous lower Manhattan scene where the village meets beats. The big city lover dream scene where fashion, people and culture of urban poetry flow like words from a street haiku.

The first step toward translating this feeling into fashion is to go bold with a crisply tailored, old-fashioned, classic playsuit in demure black. Granted, the look is not for the faint of heart, but the Grand M believes the style rewards are worth the risks. 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent has the perfect piece to achieve part of the Hollywood glamour that this look evokes. The 'K Town Playsuit' fits the bill with its plain, black cotton weave, gold buttons, sharp tailoring, and deliciously devilish halter ties. The sweetheart neckline, easy hip pockets, and slight bustier effect make this playsuit the centerpiece of a beguiling and impossibly magnetic ensemble. There is nothing more sinfully feminine than a beautifully made, alluring playsuit, and it recalls scenes from West Side Story with an added twist of California screen sirens lounging poolside at the Beverly Hills Hotel.


To keep this ensemble from looking too campy, opt for a pair of casual, flat sandals in an unorthodox style that seems to betray the glamorous nature of the playsuit. This is where Manhattan begins to meet Mexicali. The 'Blair' sandal by designer Lovely People is the perfect shoe to wear, and its gold woven straps, intermingled with surprising strands of braided leather, is faintly reminiscent of that Baja staple: huaraches. The demure wedge heel prevents the risk of channeling a street-walker, and the unexpected mix of low-brow concept with high-brow construction is simply mesmerizing.

What better accessory to spice up your south-of-the-border Manhattanite outfit than oodles of gleaming golden bangle bracelets? Pile on Allison Daniel Design's flat stackable gold bangles to your heart's content. The Grand M believes that gold bracelets are literally a dime a dozen, and they can easily go from chic to cheap. Thankfully, Daniel's brilliant design has forever changed the Grand M's mind and moreover, her sensitive take on a classic accessory staple is simply breathtaking. The gently flattened, softly angular bangles are style miles beyond the rest of the pack, and when stacked together, they transform into a charmingly organic shape. Remarkably wearable and ridiculously gorgeous, these bangles are the best way to complete the look by adding a touch of whimsy to the vintage rigidity of the playsuit, while glamming up the laid-back attitude of the 'Blair' sandal. The BEST news? Allison Daniel Designs, represented by Shine Media Public Relations, is offering a set of 5 flat stackable gold bangles to one lucky Grand Mademoiselle! To enter to win, simply send your email, name, and address to grand.mademoiselle@gmail.com and you could wake up to find these gorgeous creations in your mailbox. The Grand M is running this offer until May 25th, so send in your information and get ready to revel in the luxuriously soft jingle-jangle of a set of bangles about your wrist.