How to Wear a Fishtail Braid Style

Di Manno Designs red and black leather ponytail holders are featured in August's issue of Seventeen Magazine. (2009)

In this "Flirty Fishtail" pic the model is wearing a black leather narrow Di Manno Designs ponytail holder.

This hair style is known as a fishtail braid. It's fun, whispy and sexy all at the same time and looks great polished off with a

Di Manno Designs narrow size ponytail holder!

In the other pic, I have a fishtail braid as well, a bit of a cleaner fishtail look, not so whispy!

I am wearing the Di Manno Designs Black Croc ponytail holder standard to hold the ponytail and then a Di Manno Designs Black Croc ponytail holder narrow to hold the fishtail at the end.

Try other braids as well like pigtail braids, a french braid or a high back braid with a Di Manno Designs ponytail holder holding the ponytail, then a simple braid with another ponytail holder to hold the braid at the end of it. (Similar to the fishtail pic in the upper left hand corner, but with a regular braid, instead of a fishtail braid)

Di Manno Designs can also do custom orders, so if you are a pigtail girl or would like to use the ponytail holders at the end of your braids and need the leather strap to fit a bit more snug, email me and we can custom make you a smaller ponytail holder.

Di Manno Designs in the very begginning...

Just wanted to share the "behind the scenes" with you before Di Manno Designs was launched.
My mother, Carmela Di Manno (in this pic) played a big role in helping me make my first few samples to give to my manufacturer. My aunt, Giuseppina Capraro also helped out, as she was spending Easter 2008 with us at my mom and dad's new home in South Carolina. I brought the leathers and python skin home with the strongest elastic bands I could find and they helped me to make samples.

A little history:
They both came to America from Cassino Italy when they were in their mid 20's. My mom worked for Dittrich Furs in Detroit MI for over 30 years managing a shop of seamstresses, who were all mostly Sicilian with a couple of Greeks thrown in there! lol I actually worked at Dittrich's for a little bit one summer when I was home from school. I helped out in the Shipping Department, packing boxes and storing fur coats. My sister and I used to go visit my mom at work sometimes when we were little. I used to love hopping on the rolling racks, going for little rides around the shop. I also used to like hiding in the long fur coats! lol Seems so silly, but looking back, I realize that without even knowing it then, my time spent there helped me to distinguish between different fabrics and furs, which I never expected to use, but the knowledge now is appreciated with my company! Also, I think with my trips to visit family in Rome and growing up with 2 full blooded Italians, (My dad is from Rome, Italy), I was always around good quality Italian clothing, leather and fabrics which made me appreciate good quality clothing and accessories from an early age. Being 100% Italian, I think "good fashion" tends to be instilled in you! I always loved wearing my mom's old outfits and my dad's old hats. I actually still enjoy wearing them! I always look forward going to Italy to check out the new fashions!

My aunt cooked at an elementary school in Woodhaven and on the side would make dresses for people. She actually made many of my dresses for parties and graduation. It was fun, I was able to design my own dress and she would make it exactly how I asked. She is great! I was so proud of my high school graduation outfit because it was unique, exactly what I wanted and I knew I wouldn't have the problem of showing up to a party with the same dress on as someone else since this was not sold in the stores! It was a creme silk half top that crossed in a V in the front and flowy creme silk pants to match. I paired it with a gold belt. Thanks Zia Giuseppina for all of my dresses growing up!:)

So with the both of them who are blessed in the sewing department, we cut and stitched the samples together, some by hand and some with the help of a sewing machine. Thanks ladies! :) I felt lucky to have them to help because I would not have been able to do it on my own. Of course I could have paid someone, but it is special to know that my family played an important role in the making of the Di Manno Designs prototype.

I am so thankful to have my mom and dad in my life. They are the greatest, most generous and loving parents I know. They have supported me unconditionally in all of my endeavors. My mom is the first person I call when I want advice or an opinion on making a business decision. She is wise and I am thankful she is here to help me with my company. She has never given bad advice so I value what she says very strongly. Everyone who knows me personally, knows I am a "daddy's girl" so Giuseppe (my dad in this pic) and I do not have the serious talks too much, but I absolutely love him to pieces and adore just being around him to hang and to laugh. They do say laughing is good for the soul:)

My mom is right...my ambition comes from her and my silly goofy side comes from my dad. I wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks for the wisdom and strength mom and dad thanks for the laughs and all the joy!
Love them!

Kristen Winnicki, friend and also part of Di Manno Designs support team

Hi,

Just wanted to write a blog post about a close friend of mine, Kristen Winnicki who has been in my life for a few years now on a weekly basis. I wanted her in my Di Manno Designs group shot, but unfortunately, she wasn't able to make my shoot date, she was on vacation.

Kristen and I met working a trade show together years ago for Tru Fitness. We bonded over 3 days, 8 hours a day, switching every 15 minutes either on a tread mill or in a stretch cage where we had to demonstrate different types of stretches with guys crowding around the cage trying to see if they could look up our work out shorts! lol We had no idea what we signed up for! We thought we were just going to have to demonstrate the equipment, but after 3 full days of working out, we were both about to fall over!

We kept in touch after the show and started to hang out. We are known as the Thursday happy hour girls. We love going out early and getting home early! Kristen has offered me valuable advice on Di Manno Designs. I always look for her thoughts and opinions on decisions I make because she is an entrepreneur herself. She used to co own a hat company that had celebrity clientele and now she does work as a spokesmodel and is looking to start another company soon.

She is a breath of fresh air to talk to with her positive nature and intelligent mind. She has offered me great insight on all my marketing materials and web site. She also stopped by Henri Bendel when I was doing a trunk show there to help me out for a little while for free! That's a great friend! Kristen is also the person who introduced me to Collective-E, the entrepreneur group that I am part of, which has been so inspiring and so helpful. She took me to their launch party, where I joined the group! Thanks Kristen for all your support. Love you:)

PS Kristen's favorite pony is the Python Pony

The Meaning Behind the Di Manno Designs Group Shot

Just in case you were wondering who all these people are in this shot, I wanted to fill you in.

When I decided to do a photo shoot, after launching my wristband and headband collection, I wanted to do a group shot of everyone wearing my accessories and I wanted to do it with friends. Hiring models was an option, but I wanted there to be meaning to it. I wanted the people who have been my support system, my closest friends, who have been here with me from the start of me launching Di Manno Designs in the shot. These are the people in my life who have been here for me on a weekly basis seeing the progress of my company, all of it, the ups and the downs! They have all offered me great advice and have been tremendously helpful in assisting me with great ideas for Di Manno Designs.

(From left to right)

Yonit Miller and I became close a couple years ago, I think mainly because we had the same needs, we loved to hang out, go out and meet new people, so we pretty much did just that every weekend. We bonded when I went to spend the weekend with her, her mom and her dad in the Poconos. We would talk ourselves to sleep, which is a wonder for me, because I usually have to watch TV before bed! lol We also spent a weekend in Miami together at her brothers where we celebrated her b day. She has been a school teacher for 8 years in NYC and recently just moved to San Francisco to start a new chapter of her life with a guy she met and fell in love with in Cabo when we went last summer together! Goes to show you never know when or where you will find love:) I will miss her dearly, but am planning on going to visit her soon! Thanks for all your helpful advice with DD:) In the picture, Yonit has on the Black Crystal Covered Headband and matching Black Crystal Covered Wristband.

Angela Di Manno, right next to her is my sister who I live with in NYC. We have been living together for about 8 years now! She is the person who knows me the most since she is family so I always know I can count on her for honest, real advice. She works at Mt Sinai in the psych unit and also sees clients privately on the side for therapy sessions. She is great at what she does. Anyone need a therapist, let me know, I will give you her number! This was her first photo shoot! Angela is wearing the Black Patent Wristband in this shot.

Tori Famuyiwa and I have been close friends for a few years now. We met because we were always at the same parties and just started a friendship from there. We were roommates on a Royal Carribean cruise we took with some friends and have fond memories of all of our times together. We always seem to laugh and enjoy ourselves wherever we are. Tori is a stylist who styles shoots here in NYC. He also does beautiful unique, handcrafted memory/scrap books. If you are looking for something like this for a special occasion, let me know, they are wonderful. I already told him he is doing mine for my wedding when ever that is! lol He was the stylist for this shoot. For those of you that don't know what a stylist does, he picked out everyone's outfits and paired my accessories with them. Good job Tori! Tori is wearing the Red Patent Wristband in this shot.

Walt is a close friend I have known for a long time, since my University of Miami college days, where we hung out and even went on a road trip to Mardi Gras together with some friends. When I moved to NYC, he was one of the only people I knew here. He is completely genuine, laid back and has been helpful no matter which industry I am in! He does consulting work for companies in NYC. We actually had the photo shoot at his loft in Soho. Thanks Walt for hooking it up!:) He is wearing the Black Leather Wristband in this shot.

Zivile Rezgyte and I became friends a couple of years ago. We actually met at a Soho loft party that I went to with Walt. She knew him as well, he introduced us and we talked all night, realizing we had a lot of the same values. She is from Lithuania, used to be a professional gymnast, lives in NYC and works in residential real estate. If you need a house in Queens, let me know! We have been hanging out every week since we met. Just was with her this past weekend in the hamptons for July 4th. Thanks for hooking it up Z:) Zivile is wearing the White Brass Studded Headband and matching White Brass Studded Wristband.

Juan Castro I have known since University of Miami as well. We lived in the same dormitory together freshman year. We spent a lot of time together then and have been inseparable ever since he moved to NYC about 4 years together. We have even managed to live in the same buildings in NYC! lol We love to laugh together a lot, so we pretty much have fun doing that wherever we are. Juan has assisted with booking at companies like Wilhelmina, has been in the financial industry as well as sales. He also loves dogs, so if you need a dog walker, let me know! He invented "the snappy that makes your hair happy" on my site. Thanks Juan:)

Juan is wearing the Black Silver Studded Wristband.

Brenda Versoza and I met years ago while I was doing a liquor promotion at a bar with a friend of hers. She started a model staffing company at that time, which I did some work for and then awhile after she launched Soza Models, a model staffing company with her partner Rich. We have had many good times together, including a trip to Miami, which was her b day gift to me a few years back. She moved to Tampa, FL with her love and has been there for 2 years now. She visits NY a lot, since her main office is here, so we get to see each other quite often. She is the one who inspired me to come up with the concept of Di Manno Designs. I was helping her move out of her apartment in West Village, over a bottle of wine, I told her I wanted to have my own company, she suggested I think of my daily routine and see if there was anything I wanted or needed...I did that one day while getting an acupuncture treatment and it was then that I came up with an idea for a leather covered ponytail holder because I was so sick of wearing my hair back in an elastic band! Thanks B:)

Brenda is wearing the Red Leather Wristband and Red Leather Ponytail Holder (standard).

So this probably gives you a better idea of why there is so much meaning in this picture and who the people are and what they represent in my life. It is never a one man show in any company, so I just wanted to share with you a great source of my support system, who are my friends who have helped me, each in their own way with Di Manno Designs. Thanks guys!

PS I have on the Python Wristband in the shot.

Ponytail Hairstyles

Hi,

Just wanted to give you some ideas of how Di Manno Designs ponytail holders can be used.

The most popular ponytail hairstyle I see is the low ponytail, which is a basic, clean and classic look. You can also do a high ponytail, which gives a very cutting-edge, sleek look or a low side ponytail which gives a soft and sexy look. You can also do pigtails which is both fun and sexy or do a low braid ponytail, or pigtail braids. Pigtail ponytail holders have to be custom ordered.
That's it for now. Feel free to suggest any other ideas!