YourHartford.com

YH Magazine Meets Jennifer DiBella

Q) Who are you wearing? Who is your favorite designer? The top and denim are by Marciano, the belt by Versace and the shoes by Manolo Blahnik. There are so many fun pieces from several talented designers, which makes it difficult to name only a few. However, I would say my top faves are: for fun clothes/dresses – Betsey Johnson, Nanette Lepore and Zac Posen; for handbags – Versace and Dolce and Gabanna; and for shoes –Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin.

What are you seeing in terms of fashion trends in Hartford? There seems to be much more variety and glam lately with people not afraid to express some individuality in their style. I think the desire for “dressing up” to go out on the weekends has been revived in the past few years.

Name 5 retail clothing stores you would love to see open here. I live in Downtown Hartford, so I could name A LOT!! In an ideal world, I would love (1) a Saks or a Bloomingdales. Bloomies would probably serve the area better as it has a greater variety of price points and carries all the staples, from cosmetics to ready to wear clothes to couture to accessories to housewares, with many of its lines not carried by other retailers currently in the area; (2) Betsey Johnson. Shopping at a Betsey boutique is fun the way shopping should be – you get free pink champagne (and it’s actually good), personalized shopping assistance, and if they don’t have your size on the floor, they almost always have it in the back; (3) Intermix – there is one in Boston and NYC and the store has a great variety of fashion-forward, fun and iconic pieces that are affordable, yet special, and also transition well from a day at the office to an evening out; (4) and (5) a men’s and women’s clothing/shoe/accessory boutique with a mix of styles. There are a few such boutiques in the area (Tuesdays/Stackpole, Fiona Stone, Kimberly’s), but we definitely could use more! Specialty boutiques are where you can find the greatest gems, and often there is high turnover and only a few of each piece so that not everyone ends up with the same thing! MORE AFTER PHOTO

What is your idea of a fun weekend? I love to dance and my “fun” weekends begin with a contemporary jazz dance class. Then a little shopping and perhaps a pedicure is always a treat. At night I enjoy delicious cocktails, dinner and wine with my husband and our friends – with maybe the accompaniment of some dance music later on! You cannot beat hanging out with friends, having some laughs and making fun memories – oh, and of course wearing a new outfit!

You are a huge supporter of local arts. What would you recommend to people who move here? I recommend signing up for the Greater Hartford Arts Council e-newsletter, which lists arts and entertainment events happening each week in Greater Hartford. One of my favorite venues Downtown is TheaterWorks because of its intimate setting, the talent it attracts and its proximity to another one of my favorite places – Bin 228 – for pre-show dining and post-show imbibing!