As I strolled to a âConnect The Dotsâ event amidst the mayhem, the music, the cocktails and the clothes on the second annual Fashionâs Night Out in New York, there was Ken.
Yes, that Ken. You know, Barbieâs ex-boyfriend.
A truck parked on Broadway in SoHo was drawing an unbelievable amount of attention, so I got closer and there were the live âKensâ standing behind head-to-toe glass decked out for various dating situations â tennis, formal, picnic and surf. You get the idea. The words on the truck read, âThe Ultimate Dream Date for Every Occasionâ all under the banner âCatch Me If You Ken.â
I couldnât resist asking the gentlemen sitting in the driverâs and passengerâs seats of the truck if this was a Mattel promotion. I had already seen it promo-ed on Facebook (yes, I am friends with Ken and even more scary, I know Barbie was simultaneously doing her thing in L.A.).
âSupposedly Ken just turned 50,â one of the guys said, obviously just interested in making a buck and waiting for someone to tell him when to drive to the next location. People were snapping pictures like crazy, so Ken wound up with lots of birthday buzz.
But I digress.
I continued on through maddening crowds to Completely Bare on Bond Street, where celebrity stylist and self-described fashion alchemist Mia Morgan was one of the judges for âConnect The Dots.â This was a scavenger hunt hosted by Dots, a âfast-fashion retail powerhouseâ that doesnât currently have a Manhattan location but came to make its presence known; it has more than 400 stores in 26 states. Contestants paid $30 -- all proceeds going to the Family Justice Center for domestic violence in New York -- to put together an outfit and then compete for prizes like a Caribbean vacation and a $500 Dots shopping spree with Morgan.
One of the things that drew me to shadow Morgan on this Fashionâs Night Out is her lifeâs philosophy as often expressed in her Facebook status, i.e. âComplaining is like praying for what you don't wantâ or âI follow what excites me. I follow what I am passionate about. This is how dreams come true.â An extension of that is her penchant for talking about fashion in a way that takes you from the surfacey to the creative expression aspect of it.
Morgan -- who has worked with some of the best designers and photographers in the business -- recently posted this Karl Lagerfeld quote on Facebook: âGuilty feelings about clothes are totally unnecessary. A lot of people earn their living by making clothes, so you should never feel bad.â
That was obvious everywhere on Fashionâs Night Out. Morgan -- who has styled celebs such as Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, Uma Thurman and Mariska Hargitay -- was dressed in what has become a signature of smart and confident style, a combination of âhigh-low.â That means price point. That means an Acne animal print dress and Miu Miu shoes worn with a Dots green belted military jacket. It means Dots earrings with an Hermes bracelet.
âIâm wearing two of the biggest fall trends -- animal print and military,â Morgan said in between greeting and mingling.
Clearly in her element, she moved through the store and helped Dots contestants pose for pictures against a backdrop on the sidewalk. Women were giddily dressing themselves with the pieces provided and twirling for their friends. Electric happiness through creativity expressed. Meanwhile Richie Rich, another judge for the event, posed for cameras and did his best fabulous.
Satiated by the whole experience, I strolled to Houston Street to make my way home. As I headed towards Sixth Avenue, I heard a man behind me with a walkie talkie say, âExcuse me, miss.â Just as I realized he was talking to me I heard someone say, âSheâs an icon.â I turned and saw that I was now one with Vogue editor Anna Wintour and her entourage, weaving through the sidewalk crowds.
This whole thing, Fashionâs Night Out, was her brainchild and here was her security detail trying to negotiate the cluttered terrain. A fascinating sight. A wonder of a night.
Even Ken had a blast.
Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is www.nancola.com. Please direct all questions/comments to FOXGamePlan@gmail.com.



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