With the impressive architecture of the Plaza Hotel and Bergdorf rising in the background, Elizabeth Savetsky waves to me across the Avenue at what is famously the most glamorous intersection on the East Coast: 5th and 57th in New York City. Sporting Chanel, Zara and a huge smile, her contagious positive energy and radiance looms even larger than our eminent surroundings.
Fashion-isha: So tell me a little about yourself and your background...we want to get to know you!

Elizabeth: For as long as I can remember, my favorite part of the day has been getting dressed in the morning.  I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, where I often returned home from the mall with something outrageous like high heeled silver sneakers and my mother would say, "LIZZY, WHAT are you going to wear with THAT?!" I even had shoes as the theme for my Bat Mitzvah. I didn't grow up religious.  In fact, I grew up singing on a country music show every weekend, and I was a cheerleader, and I may have even made top 5 in the Miss Teen Texas pageant ;)  I wouldn't trade my upbringing for anything because it's molded me into who I am today.  I came to NYC to study music and music business at NYU when I was 18.  I fell in love with the energy of the city and of course the fashion, and I knew I was home.  Towards the end of college I got involved with MEOR, an amazing Jewish outreach organization and I began to feel a stronger  Jewish identity and a taste to learn more.  I ended up going to Israel for the year after I graduated college, where I learned at Neve. When I came back, I married my amazing husband, took a small detour---getting a masters in education, and FINALLY ended up in the fashion world.  I miss singing every day, but working in fashion really helps fill that creative drive I have.

Every outfit is like a performance.







F.  So who is your favorite designer?

E. Chanel for bags, Pucci for prints, Balmain for beaded jackets, Oscar de la Renta for gowns....oh sorry, was I supposed to pick one?

F. How do you balance being a wife and mom with being a busy it girl in the fashion world?

E. I order in a lot hahahaha. My schedule is different every week, but I'm lucky that for the most part, I work part time and can spend anytime NOT working with my daughter.  Sometimes I even bring her to the office with me and everyone there is supportive and loves it.  I try to do it all, but I definitely don't always do the best job. What is balance anyway?


F. Here's a loaded question...what's your attitude when it comes to modest fashion?

E. A tough question for me.  I believe with my whole heart that Hashem wants us to be beautiful inside and out.  We are supposed to feel good about ourselves and the image we portray to the world and that is a very individual, subjective thing.  For me, I need sequins, heels, and lashes to feel my best.  Others are lucky and feel good without all of that and that's ok too.  I think now is an amazing time in fashion for the tznius lady.  There are so many beautiful options and affordable options from Zara, ASOS, Topshop, etc...  I always try to be respectful of my environment when I get dressed.  I would never want to say that what I do is right when it comes to halacha or modesty, but I do the best I can and I know Hashem understands my journey.  (I love this!)





F.  So tell us about your new blog!

E. My blog is a guide to making impractical, over-the-top accessories into practical everyday pieces.  My colleagues have been encouraging me for the past couple of years to start a blog because they were always amused by my style.  I toyed with the idea for a while, but I didn't have the confidence to do it right away.  Adi (from Fabologie.com) and I became friendly and she asked me to write a monthly Accessories Report for her site, and although I was really nervous to do it, I did it,  and it was a lot of fun! Adi was very instrumental and encouraging to me in my decision to start Excessories Expert.  I hope people have as much fun reading it as I do writing it.

I hope to spread my message of excess by encouraging women everywhere to put on that feathered-fedora and fur vest and be the most fabulous mom in the carpool line.  


F. What are some of your dreams and goals for the future.

E. I'm still figuring out my goals for the future. I'm enjoying the journey.  A friend recently told me a quote: "The mission is the journey itself." That's how I feel about my career in fashion.  I am very excited about my blog though, and I hope that will do cool things.  My biggest goal is always just to be happy and do things that make me happy and to make other people happy.  Family will always be my first priority and I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful husband, a gorgeous daughter, and parents that I am very, very close to.