Get to know Dallas and Collin counties by meeting some of the fashionable people who call this area home.

image via houseofhauteblog.com

CW33 News Entertainment Reporter, fashion maven and Founder of House of Haute Incorporated, Toni Duclottni, dishes with me in an exclusive two-part interview. I uncover her favorite places to eat, shop, play and a few fashion tips to get you ready for fall.

Where are some of your favorite places to eat in Dallas or Collin County and why?

I honestly cannot fairly answer this question. I’m a major foodie! To name a few (in no particular order): Nick & Sam’s – Amazing food & sexy environment & outstanding service, Taverna – The best risotto EVER, Marquee Grill – A great flare of texture and taste that enlighten your taste buds, Dee Lincoln’s – Super sexy sleek environment and great food, Twisted Root – HANDS DOWN the BEST hamburger ever (I made my own creation with the BYOB), Records BBQ – Yep, it’ll make slap your mama (and then resurrect yourself), AND Rudy’s Chicken – They must sprinkle pure CRACK on that stuff (super addictive and finger licking GOOD).

When you want to pamper yourself, get a facial, a massage or just enjoy the view, where do you go in Dallas?

The V Spa at the Hilton Anatole is my go to place for comfort and pampering. They have the most amazing masseuses and estheticians there. I don’t think there are any other estheticians better than Nazi.

Name the one beauty product you cannot live without and why?

I definitely can’t live without an amazing moisturizer.  I love, love the Chanel Hydromax Serum and have used it for over 6 years. Well, that’s until I put myself on a tighter budget. I then found that the Olay Pro X line works wonders. No their serums don’t completely match up to Chanel, but at $25 (a savings OVER 90%) I’d say I don’t mind picking the Olay version up even if it is just for my travel bag.

image via creedboutique.com

Tell me about your favorite fragrance?

My favorite fragrance comes from the House of Creed. The “Imperial Millesime” is such a sexy scent that creates the perfect amount of disruption in any room. And when I’m not in the mood to drop 300 bucks, my reasonable go to [fragrance] is actually “Body” (the perfume) by Victoria’s Secret.

I hear you are a gadget/technology buff.  What is your favorite tech toy at the moment?

I’m a Dork™!! As much as I hate to admit it, I’m still favorable to my crystaled out iPad. Although, once more Android based apps become readily available, I will learn to really adore and love my Blackberry Playbook. It’s such an amazing little gadget! It’s just those darn apps like ADT, DirecTv, Chase, Care Now Check-In, and even the Realtor.com that keep the iPhone and iPad in my hands.

What are your thoughts on Dallas when it comes to fashion?  Are we fashion forward?  Are we trend setters or trend followers?

Contrary to what most people think, Dallas can definitely be considered as fashion forward.  While there are a handful of (us LOL) trend setters, for the most part people in Dallas are trend followers.

What fashion trends do you see in the metroplex that you have not seen in other places you have traveled, like New York?

If you’d insist on calling it a “trend”, big-oversized hair is definitely something you will only find in Texas…. In this decade.

I love your blog post on expanding our closets and the list of essential pieces for every woman is great.  Why shouldn’t our LBD come below our knees?  Also, I recently heard leggings are going out.  What are your thoughts on that?

The Little Black Dress would be just “The Black Dress” if it came below the knees. You can rock a sexy pencil skirt in black if you want something longer.

The only people who are saying leggings are going out of style, are those that don’t know how to wear them. They may be worn differently in upcoming seasons (ie: “Jeggings”), but leggings are here to stay. Consider them an essential as you would a camisole; there’s a time and place for them.

Being body conscience is important in fashion and every trend may not work for everybody.  What advice would you give someone who is unsure about how to adapt a trend to fit their personal style.

The best advice that I could give someone would be to find a look/style that they absolutely love on their own body and stick with it. Pay attention to your habits. If you repeatedly do one thing consistently throughout many different looks, that little “thing” is probably your signature. For instance, mine would be belting. I belt just about everything. Why, because I’m pretty straight up and down. High-waisted belts create the illusion of curves.

Next week read part two of my interview with Toni Duclottni where we get down to the nitty-gritty of her must have picks for fall, favorite local designers…and MUCH MORE.

Until then, pop over to House of Haute™ to check out her CW33 Entertainment segments and great fashion tips.