Pumps & Pleats: American Apparel gets physical with its duds

Story and photos by Michèle De Meglio

American Apparel is famous for its risqué ads featuring curvy gals wearing transparent leotards and striking compromising poses that could rival any porn star. The store’s Web site even boasts photos of an overweight middle-aged man clad in a lace thong, which were shot to showcase his droopy backside. Wow.

Shock value aside, are the store’s duds anything special?

Pumps & Pleats visited the American Apparel shop on Court Street in Brooklyn Heights to check out the wares.

The majority of the store is an homage to basics — standard cotton tees, sweatshirts, short shorts and hoodies. The only standout factor is that they come in nearly all the colors of the rainbow. And one other thing — they’re super expensive. A white T-shirt is $22, a simple sweatshirt is $34, and a cotton and polyester hoodie is $42. You could easily walk away with similar — and cheaper — basics from Old Navy.

The Los Angeles-based American Apparel sells a variety of workout inspired pieces, which seem more suited for lounging than for sweating. For instance, the thong bodysuits ($26) are perfect for recreating Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” video but you shouldn’t try them out in your spin class.

Leggings are a big seller at American Apparel.

If you’re looking for simple black cotton leggings, don’t bother coming here since they’re ridiculously overpriced at $26 a pair.

But if you’re brave enough to wear seriously funky fashions, this is the store for you. Here you can find electric blue liquid leggings coated in glitter ($49), a two-sided pair blending black and shocking pink ($30), and polyester leggings in an old-fashioned floral print inspired by your grandmother’s tackiest couch ($40). Just be careful, wearing such crazy clothing could easily make you a fashion victim.

American Apparel [112 Court St. between State Street and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 855-4627].

Michèle De Meglio is a native Brooklynite addicted to all things chic. Check out Pumps & Pleats each week for more adventures as she scours the borough for fab duds and accessories.

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Pumps & Pleats: Getting styled at Concept Elite

Story and photo by Michèle De Meglio

Eyebrow shaping is an art form.

Thick brows look bushy, overly thin brows look like you’re stuck in the 1930s, and a unibrow is just plain wrong.

Most women go through several different shapes, styles and hair removal techniques before finding the perfect brows for their face. I am no exception.

I’ve gone from the plucking-hurts-too-much natural route to a penchant for pencil-thin lines, which made my friends say, “Uh, is there anything left?”

After a particularly brutal plucking session left a hole in the middle of my left brow, I knew it was time to put down the tweezer.

I spent four humbling and humiliating weeks letting the bushes grow back before there was enough hair for a beauty technician to professionally mold.

Happily walking into Concept Elite Salon and Spa on Avenue U in Marine Park, I learned that an eyebrow shaping and wax is $15. That’s pretty pricey but the posh salon was quite welcoming so I treated myself.

While hairdressers are stationed on the salon’s main level, all the dirty work is done upstairs. Each customer is given a private room where a technician applies hot wax to their most sensitive spots and uses strips of fabric to rip it off. Shudder.

The technician tweezed a few stray hairs that the wax didn’t remove. I’m pretty used to the stinging sensation of tweezing but the plucking seemed extra painful after being waxed.

My skin stayed red for a few hours after the primping session, but I was so happy with the classic brow shape (not too thin, not too thick) that the pain was worth it.

Concept Elite Salon and Spa [4101 Avenue U between Coleman and Hendrickson streets in Marine Park, (718) 258-5300].

Michèle De Meglio is a native Brooklynite addicted to all things chic. Check out Pumps & Pleats each week for more adventures as she scours the borough for fab duds and accessories.

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