All That Glitters is Coldstone Ice Cream

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Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Cold Stone Creamery has unveiled its own “Pink Cotton Candy” flavored ice cream in honor of Barbie, the movie. Known for their unlimited choices in custom ice cream combinations, Cold Stone’s Barbie inspired ice cream consists of cotton candy flavored ice cream, hot pink dance party sprinkles, graham cracker pie crust, and whipped topping.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

I opted out of having the whipped topping mixed into the ice cream. It seemed like it would get lost (and melted) into the flavor of the ice cream and I added the whipped cream as a topping instead. The cotton candy flavor was as I expected. Not overly sweet but, with a pronounced cotton candy flavor. The chunks of graham cracker pie crusts gave the ice cream a nice balance of flavor and texture. The chunks weren’t too crunchy and the ice cream softened the texture. It almost gave me the illusion of cake pieces. The name “dance party sprinkles” sounds exciting but, biting into them was more of an annoyance. The hot pink sprinkles themselves were easier to chew as they were ordinary sprinkles. The pearls and star shaped pieces that were mixed in were hard to chew. I feared I would break a tooth while trying to bite into them. This was a disappointment to me and enough to prevent me from purchasing this combination, again. However, I had the urge to go back and tweak this combination in the name of all dolls named, Ken.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

It’s evident that Barbie is the star of her own movie. Once I saw “She’s everything. He’s just Ken,” printed on the poster, I instantly thought “he’s not just Ken.” I’ve never owned a Ken doll as a child but would have liked one when I tried to get my Christie doll, married. I opted for my Brock Pokémon figure I got in a kids meal. Ken is Barbie’s hot and handsome boyfriend. That counts for something. When Barbie had on a wedding dress, who was she going to marry? When Barbie went to prom in 1985, who was her date? When Barbie drives in her pink corvette, who is that handsome hunk in the passenger seat? He’s Ken. He deserves more respect than the movie trailers are giving him.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

My Kencore ice cream combination consists of blue cotton candy flavored ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, pink sprinkles, and icing. Initially, I asked the server for rainbow sprinkles and told him server I didn’t like the hard pearls in the dance party sprinkles. He told me that they no longer use them in the Barbie ice cream anymore and the hot pink sprinkles are on their own. He also told me customers gave similar feedback to mine. Though the ice cream mix ins taste exactly like the pink Barbie ice cream, the difference that stood out in flavor was the icing on top. Cold Stone’s icing has a light sweetness and fluffy texture that is more stable than their whipped topping.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Cold Stones’s Barbie ice cream comes in an exclusive pink Barbie cup which is only available in the “Love It” and “Gotta Have It” sizes. I encourage everyone to head to Cold Stone and create their own unique version of Barbie or Ken inspired ice cream.

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Kaye

I’m a fashion enthusiast that strives to create looks that fit my persona, effortlessly. Art exhibits, reading, the news and anything peaks my interest and strikes creativity, are all put into my blog to share with you.

The Best of In-Store Barbie Merch in NYC

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The Best of In-Store Barbie Merch in NYC


      Photo by Kaye Liautaud

It’s hard to walk down the bustling streets of Manhattan and not see bouts of pink in store windows. Rest assured, Barbie is taking over Manhattan. Barbie the movie is in theaters July 21st and has limited merch in stores, now. One of the stores that stood out during my quick pace in Times Square, is Gap. 


Photo by Kaye Liautaud 

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Gap’s store windows didn’t count as icing on the cake. The core of this collection was brightly displayed as I made my way down the escalator; instantly grabbing my attention. I remember the feeling I got walking down the Barbie isle of K.B Toys (remember the 90s) with my dad as a child. My eyes would get so wide and I would be silent while my mind was taking in all the allure of dolls. After all, Barbie had taught girls they can be anything. It’s hard to choose everything with so many options. Those exact same feelings of awe and curiosity returned when I saw Gap’s elevated take on Barbie’s aesthetic.  

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

The Barbie line includes classic Gap button downs, signature logo hoodies, and pink denim. What makes this line standout is Gap’s ability to stand by their timeless pieces that longtime customers have been familiar with for decades. Barbie and Gap fans alike, can be chic and fashion forward without drowning in the oversaturated Barbiecore trend that is dominating social media. Even kids can be trendy in Gap’s elevated version of the basic tee instead of the typical tee with a picture of the doll.
 

  Photo by Kaye Liautaud
 

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Mattel Creations has their own line of movie merch that includes t-shirts and baseball caps with “Barbie” slabbed onto the middle. It is lackluster and basic. The big screen is being graced with a live action Barbie movie. We can do better than lackluster and basic. 

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

In addition to Gap’s pink display, they gave an impactful statement to customers viewing their in-store monitor. It showcased a diverse group of people, showing what it means to be Barbie. The video features young girls, women of different age groups and ethnicities, and men. Barbie has always been an icon of what it means to be female. She gave young girls inspiration as soon as they took her out of the box. While Gap is offering a pink, norm core lineup, Forever 21 has joined in on the Barbie craze as well, with more to offer than just clothes.

 
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

 Forever 21’s Barbie Collection is offering more than just clothes; the collection features an array of accessories including, vinyl purses, glittering shoes, jeweled hair clips, and even dolls. 


Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Forever 21 has been a well known teenage fashion destination that continues to reign strong in providing affordable fast fashion. Their Barbie collection is epitomizing what it means to be dressed in Barbiecore. Barbiecore means to be infectiously dressed in pink to convey a realistic look of the infamous doll. With the anticipation surrounding the live-action Barbie movie, Barbiecore is infiltrating social media. Forever 21 has some eccentric items for those looking to dress up or just to have a quirky souvenir.

 
Photo by Kaye Liautaud


Photo by Kaye Liautaud

If you’re like me and never had a Barbie Dreamhouse, you can get this miniature version of the vintage 1979 Barbie Dreamhouse. You can customize your miniature Dreamhouse with the included furniture stickers and miniature doll.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

A clip in hair extension adorned with Barbie charms is sure to grab the attention of movie goers while waiting in line for the live action Barbie movie.

 
Photo by Kaye Liautaud 

It wouldn’t be an official Barbie collaboration without dolls. I was pleasantly surprised to see this, myself. Would teens and adults really by the dolls? Are these meant to be purchased for children? It shouldn’t matter. Barbie has been delighting the hearts of adults and children alike. Feel free to add these to your collection and enjoy them however you wish. The famed doll has been serving inspiration, style, and playful freedom since 1959 and these qualities are not limited to age. 

Kaye

I’m a fashion enthusiast that strives to create looks that fit my persona, effortlessly. Art exhibits, reading, the news and anything peaks my interest and strikes creativity, are all put into my blog to share with you.

Thrifting Through ZARA

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It’s one of the most recognized names in fast fashion. Zara. You can’t walk down the busy shopping areas in Manhattan without seeing the name proudly being flaunted on the paper bag by a fashion enthusiast or anyone who wants to give their look an upgrade. If you see someone with a Zara shopping bag gripped by their tight fingers, you know they’ve just bought something trendy. The problem I have with trends is that many people follow them at once and they have a short closet life. The problem I have with trending styles from Zara is that many people will own it or have seen it in the store. You might think you look ever so stylish in that new Zara topcoat (you probably do) without realizing many people might know where you got your topcoat from. The loss of uniqueness is irritating to me. Zara has a great reputation of making people look fashion forward, and bad reputation of making people look the identical. Where’s the astonishment that makes people stop you on the street to ask where you got your clothes from? True fashion is on the street but, not when everyone gets them from the same place.


I had my design professor tell me that he hates wearing the same thing as everyone else. I concur. He would buy nice in-season shirts from Banana Republic and leave them in his closet for three years and then wear them out. After three years of not seeing a popular item, it’s evident that those shirts would be seen as unique and trendsetting. I don’t have the self discipline to stash away any new peice of clothing I buy. I need to wear it immediately. At the very least, a special occasion. I do however, have the savviness to find passed-season clothing from online sellers (eBay, Poshmark, Mercari) in pristine condition, years later. That’s exactly what I did when I bought this white puff sleeve blouse with Swiss dots from the Mercari app. I bought it new with tags the listing said it was from Zara’s 2018 collection. Once I wore this top outside, everyone wanted to know where I got it from. My online thrifting for this one top, turned into a treasure hunt for more vintage Zara tops. Here are a few more I found.


Wearing clothes from old collections can give your wardrobe a fresh update. You can elevate your style with pieces that are old or wearing what is current. Your style is personal to you. It’s important to create looks that fit you, not the window mannequin. 

Kaye

I’m a fashion enthusiast that strives to create looks that fit my persona, effortlessly. Art exhibits, reading, the news and anything peaks my interest and strikes creativity, are all put into my blog to share with you.

Dolce Vita Paily Heels

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Photo by Kaye Liautaud

My style goals this passed Spring were light, airy, bold. The Dolce Vita Paily heels checked off my list. Making a bold fashion statement isn’t usually associated with the terms light and airy but, it’s hard to be subtle with chunky sandals that have two braided straps.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Braided sandals seem to be the trend for Spring/Summer ‘22 and while the silhouette is timeless, the chunky-braided detail is a look that I suspect will be in and out in the next few years like raffia. I’ll be keeping these in the back of my close for quite some time. I’m not here to tell anyone to follow trends. Where what makes you look and feel your best. Style is according you. The Paily heels remind me of the hot pink plastic heels I used to put on my Barbie in the 90’s. Total nostalgia in adult form.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Details matter. Period. Every piece of fashion has something special that catches our eyes. It could be the stitching of a seam or a neckline that sits perfectly. For me, it’s the texture. The heel features a raised, diamond-like pattern that sets these sandals apart from the countless other braided sandals I’ve seen for the season. Brown and tan are popular colors for this style. Lilac is a light and airy color that is seen on more delicate styles of shoes. These two elements combined, are the bold and playful style I needed for a fresh update to my spring wardrobe.

Photo by Kathleen Liautaud
Photo by Dwayne Parker
Photo by Dwayne Parker
Kaye

I’m a fashion enthusiast that strives to create looks that fit my persona, effortlessly. Art exhibits, reading, the news and anything peaks my interest and strikes creativity, are all put into my blog to share with you.

Museum of Ice Cream

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Melt into a world of fun and flavor.

Photo by: Kaye Liautaud

Welcome to the Museum of Ice Cream in downtown New York City. This pop up exhibit features installations that are multi-sensory and provoke imagination in a space inspired by flavors and deserts. Visitors get to experience MOIC through interactive installations while tasting various flavors of ice cream throughout the exhibit. Keep scrolling for more of the joy at Museum of Ice Cream.
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

Meet the men guiding the magic at MOIC. Ricardo Sanchez, a.k.a. Ricky Road, and Adam Troyer a.k.a. Red Velvet; employees of MOIC. Once you step into the Museum of Ice Cream your real name melts away and you are encouraged to choose an ice cream name for yourself. The MOIC employees prefer to be called by their ice cream names.
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

No one is exempt from having an ice cream flavor for a name at MOIC. Not even celebrities. Take a look at these flavors and see which names are familiar.
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

A dining hall with a table of deserts await guests at the MOIC in NYC. Don’t be fooled. The deserts are not edible. Only the trays of hazelnut, pistachio, and strawberry macarons are given for guests to eat.
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

The subway room at MOIC is a recreation of the NYC train cars with an automated announcer telling visitors the name of the next stop. This room also features windows with moving graphics of the skyline, galaxy, and realistic view of the NYC subway platforms.
“A lot of curiosity and kind of confusion-excitement.” -Ricky Road, MOIC employee.
Photo by Kathleen Liautaud

A room of hanging bananas split into two colors. Red Velvet told me that the banana room is where adults have the most fun.
“They’ll actually run through them and have fun. When you get an adult to be a kid again, that really satisfies the purpose of the room.” -Red Velvet, MOIC employee.

Photo by Kaye Liautaud

“Ice Cream is a smile.” -Red Velvet, MOIC employee.
Photo by Kaye Liautaud

A rainbow hallway lit up in primary colors.
Photo by Kathleen Liautaud

Giant sculptures of scoop handles scooping a ball of ice cream. The textures in the sculptures are realistic and well detailed. Visitors are given a scoop of stretchy ice cream in this room.
Photo by Kathleen Liautaud

This giant tube slide is three stories high and takes visitors for a fast spin. Ricky Road tells me this is his favorite room in the exhibit where adults don’t know what to expect. He said after pushing five grown women, who seemed skeptical down this slide, they were all screaming in crescendo.
“I think adults are more themselves when they go down the slide.” -Ricky Road, MOIC employee.
Photo by Kathleen Liautaud

The sprinkle pool is the final room in the exhibit. The pool is filled with rubber multi-colored sprinkles and a bright red slide. The beach balls are the cherry on top of the sprinkle pool experience. Be sure to take off your shoes before taking a dip in the sprinkles. There is a lifeguard on duty.
Kaye

I’m a fashion enthusiast that strives to create looks that fit my persona, effortlessly. Art exhibits, reading, the news and anything peaks my interest and strikes creativity, are all put into my blog to share with you.