Posts Tagged ‘Shopping’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Wedding Wear: the shoes and styles for wedding season

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

by Holly Clinard

Wedding season is upon us! I don’t know how many hoots and hollers I’ve heard lately from both friends and readers about the tons of wedding events, rehearsal dinners and engagement parties they plan on attending over the summertime. I guess it’s just these warm California months that get the lovebirds wanting to have pretty outdoor weddings and celebrations! What a great thing to be a part of your friend or family member’s special day, though, right? And really, it’s just another excuse to go out and purchase some new gorgeous dresses and shoes that are wedding-wear appropriate. It’s all part of the fun!

Recently, I’ve come across this great new online boutique based out of Orange County called House of PlumRed. House of PlumRed is one rapidly growing and respected voice for new trends, with collections that promote chic and edgy style for all varieties of women and occasions. One thing that I especially dig about PlumRed (besides their under $50 price bracket!) is that they carry only low quantities of each fashion to give you the full boutique experience that you simply can’t get anywhere else! Uhh-dore! So with the help of some of my favorite online stores of the moment, I’ve managed to show off to you a few outfits that’ll have ya for once glad it’s not you who’s walking down the aisle!

For starters let me just say that most wedding-attending gals want to stand out in that holy matrimony-watching crowd! Well, House of PlumRed’s One Sleeve Layered Dress will do just that for you as you step onto the wedding scene. This dreamy, layered pink dress is perfect for any summer occasion, really (at an under $30 price too!). Sorta reminds me of something my favorite gal Whitney Port would sport!

To pair with this fab trendy-girl dress, you simply must have these Jessica Bennett ‘Marek’ Sandals that can be found at a hot little sale price on Nordstrom.com! You can’t go wrong with this outfit—and these gorgeous metallic heels bring it all together.

If it’s the hippie-chic look you’re after, then you’ll wanna head straight for HOPR’s Editorial Layer Floral Dress that you can effortlessly layer up with long, stringed beads (as pictured) or even a bib necklace. This is seriously a great little number that’ll have you sitting comfortably at the daytime ceremony, and dancing the night away at the evening reception!

Dress up your hippie-chic look with these lovely Nina ‘Papina’ heels—they come in three great colors: powder sand, silver or ivory (all of them will give off that soft, summer vibe). They’re your classic go-to special occasion peep toe pump that will hang around your closet for years to come.

If it’s a more conservative and classic look that you boast, try this sleeveless v-neck wrap dress that’s super duper comfy. A bright summery choice and a rich color to add to your wardrobe. Hey, and who doesn’t love a little number with pockets in it, really!? The wrap v-neck style hides any mid-section imperfections and accentuates only your best!

I gotta tell ya that a richly colored dress like this calls for none other than some sweet gold sandals for you to step into. Nordstrom’s BP. ‘Empire’ Sandal is at the top of my list for this season’s special-event shoe. With a stunning gold twist t-strap and a heel height that’s just right, you’ll be toasting to the happy couple in style (and glancing down at your pretty shoes in between speeches!)!

So to all of you wedding-goers out there—sit back, unwind and raise your glasses to your summer’s special occasion and the hot outfit you brought along with you for the ride!

xoxo,

holly in heels

Holly in Heels

smitten with shoes, addicted to style.

You can follow Holly’s chic shoe blog at www.hollyinheels.com

Tags: , ,
Posted in fashion&style | 2 Comments »

Grace Kelly’s Style Without the Hermes Pricetag

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

by Courtney Rogers

Movie star turned Princess Grace Kelly lived a life little girls (and at least one college student) dream of. A modern day fairytale, Grace was the toast of the silver screen when she caught the eye of Prince Rainier of Monaco, a man who would sweep her off her feet and convince her to give up movies for a royal lifestyle in a tiny but beautiful seaside country. Even better, amidst all of this whirlwind romance Grace never missed a beat when it came to her personal style.

I may not be able to tell you where to find a prince (trust me I’ve been looking), but if it’s a summer fashion fairytale you’re after, here’s how to get Grace Kelly’s look without a royal budget.

The look: When shopping, keep an eye out for retro-inspired silhouettes. Look for fuller circle skirts, dresses with a defined waist and v-necklines. If you’re looking to modernize this ultra feminine look, try different proportions such as a more masculine jacket. When it comes to accessories, the statement you’re trying to make is chic, simple and bold. Big sunglasses are a must and a great scarf adds instant polish. For jewelry, you can be whimsical but I’d recommend avoiding loud costume jewelry and favoring pearls, sterling and turquoise.

Where to shop:
Accessories: There’s a lot to love about the J.Crew accessories department. Although their clothes for the summer season favor a “California Dreamin’” aesthetic, their shoes, bags and jewelry have glamorous, 1950s undertones. Their latest selection of patterned ballet flats add some fun to a shoe that’s recently become rather monotonous and their Esme printed platform sandals beg to be worn to a decadent party. Skip the slouchy hobo bags in favor of their ribbon rosette clutch and for jewelry, the crystal glamour bracelet can go from day to night with ease.

Daytime: First time visitors be warned, Modcloth.com is an overwhelming cache of adorable clothing and you will probably want every fifth thing you see as you scroll though their seemingly endless supply of dresses. Though there’s a lot to choose from, favorites emulating Grace Kelly include the simple but charming Most Memorable dress, the sleek Lost in Grace dress and the lovely Bow Business style. Word to the wise, styles sell out in the blink of an eye so don’t procrastinate if it’s your dream dress!

Evening wear: In my quest for finding Grace Kelly’s style on the web, I found the perfect cocktail dress at Banana Republic. The BR Monogram Deep Vee Back Zip Dress has beautiful pleats and quiet elegance while the mixture of black and white adds a playful quality. Although they’re better known for their tee shirts, C&C California pleasantly surprised me with their One-Shoulder Maxi Dress in black. The cut is classic and refined rather than bohemian while the choice of cotton makes it comfortable and modern.

Happy shopping!

Tags: ,
Posted in fashion&style | 3 Comments »

bobi Sample Sale For a Cause

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

by Jessica Chang

Need an excuse to go shopping?

Kara Lusardi, designer of bobi Clothing, is giving you one! From 7pm to 9pm Wednesday, June 23, Kara will be hosting bobi’s “Sample Sale For a Cause,” where you can buy bobi samples for $20 to $25 while enjoying free cocktails and a bobi gift if you’re one of the first 100 people to arrive, and dancing to music from DJs Josh Madden (brother to Benji and Joel) and Claudine De Sola.

No need to feel guilty about handing over that cash either; all proceeds from the event will be donated to Keep a Child Alive, whose advocates like Bono, Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz are dedicated to providing treatment, care and support to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

So head on over to Revolve Clothing (8452 Melrose Ave.) where celebs like Sophie Monk will be shopping Kara’s simple and comfortable collection of fashionable women’s wear for a righteous cause.

Tags: , ,
Posted in offers&freebies | 1 Comment »

Visiting the New Limelight Marketplace

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

by Lorelei Marfil

From a church to a well-known nightclub, this iconic hotspot has been revamped once again to offer Manhattanites a new shopping venue. This three-tiered arena offers over 60 shops. Brocade Home, Caswell Massey, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, LeSportsac, and Sue Devitt are among the many retailers sharing the newly redesigned space.

Designer James Mansour was commissioned to revamp and create a space truly unique for shoppers. The19th century stained glass windows were meticulously restored by the design team. The Limelight Marketplace also offers new entrepreneurs and retailers a turn-key solution to establish themselves in the New York market.  “When I found out they were going to maintain the integrity of the architecture, I thought it would be something really good and new and fresh.” said Lisa Versacio, founder of Brocade Home. Versacio was interested in the unique retail experience. “From the eclectic mix of businesses to the iconic space, I thought it would really make it a compelling and interesting retail concept.”

“We were actually one of the first ones to sign up.” says Caswell Massey’s Michael Miarecki. “Caswell Massey is one of the oldest retailers in the United States; we’ve gone through a lot of different changes over the years. In a sense, so has this building. This building from all of its different lives. It’s had so many different high points; it’s evolved with the times. For us it was a neat symbiotic fit because as a brand that is so old, we need to constantly renew ourselves and find a new customer base. We think the eclectic mix of retailers will attract you. You’re the customer we want to reach. We already have your mom, your aunt, we have your grandmother. So we need to reach a younger, cooler demographic. We think it’s a cool fit here for us.”

Limelight Marketplace

656 Avenue of the Americas at 20th Street,

Store hours: Monday-Saturday from 10AM-10PM, and Sunday from 11AM-7PM, with the restaurant spaces remaining open later.

www.LimelightMarketplace.com

Lorelei Marfil is an editor and style maven based in New York City and is the creative force behind InsideMyCloset.

Tags: ,
Posted in fashion&style, Other | 1 Comment »

LA Closet Design and Diane von Furstenberg Support Dress for Success

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

(April 29, 2010, Los Angeles, CA) Lisa Adams of LA Closet Design and Diane von Furstenberg (DvF) recently hosted a lavish event at DvF’s Melrose boutique, in support of Dress For Success’ new Los Angeles headquarters.  Guests were able to browse DvF’s Spring Oasis 2010 Collection and obtain spring-cleaning tips from LA Closet Design while indulging in champagne and hors d’oeuvres….. what more can a girl ask for?!

LA Closet Design CEO, Lisa Adams was thrilled about the collaboration. “Helping women become strong and independent is a passion close to my heart. It was only natural to collaborate with two empowering organizations – Diane Von Furstenberg and Dress for Success, to celebrate the roles and accomplishments of women.” 10% of the night’s proceeds benefited Dress for Success.

Since 1997, Dress for Success has been promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since its inception, Dress for Success has served almost 450,000 women around the world. LA Closet Design is a proud supporter of Dress for Success Los Angeles.

Tags:
Posted in fashion&style | 1 Comment »

A Fashion Insider Pops Up in Brooklyn

Monday, May 10th, 2010

by Lorelei Marfil

Elizabeth in the Pop-Up Shop

Wanderlust, a popular shopping hotspot in Cambodia set foot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with its first pop-up shop. From cool retro Cambodian pop music to Wanderlust staples, shoppers experienced a little taste of Southeast Asian culture. No passport required!

Before setting up shop in Siem Riep, Cambodia, the store’s owner, Elizabeth Kiester, made her mark in fashion. A former fashion director and editor for magazines like YM, Jane and Marie Claire, she was tapped to be the global trend/concept director for Abercrombie and Fitch and then the global creative director for LeSportsac where she developed the Stella McCartney for LeSportsac collaboration.

Her fashion credentials also include a stylist and brand consultant to brands like BCBG Max Azria, Gap and J. Crew. We asked Keister about her daily routine, her career in fashion and what’s on her inspiration board. Here’s what she had to say.

Blush: Take us through a day in the life of Elizabeth Kiester.

Elizabeth Kiester: Cambodia is a land of opportunities–it’s a big, wide open world there–but you must remember that this country has suffered through decades of wars, strife and serious hardships and is just getting back on their collective feet. So everything is new, never been done before, an awakening, which is extraordinary and illuminating and thrilling but can also present enormous challenges and obstacles us westerners never ever could anticipate. So every day is a brand new day for me–no routines, no lunch at 1pm, no real plan. I have learned–and still am–how to be nimble, patient and reactive. You can’t be proactive, necessarily! There are days when we have power outages for no explainable reason, days when I cannot navigate through the language or cultural barriers and have to start all over again. And we are a very small team, so we all do everything. No divas, no ‘that’s not my job.’ One minute I am training my shop girls on new styles and how to wear them, and one second later I am writing copy for the website, and in a flash I am reviewing fabrics and buttons and then I find myself in a tuk-tuk going out to see the new scarves that are being woven 10k away in the middle of the rice paddy only to come back and start packing boxes to be shipped for the U.S. The phone never stops ringing, the inbox is never empty. I work at minimum six days a week, at least 12 hours a day. I am trying to give myself Sundays off, to sit by the pool at my friend’s glorious boutique hotel and regroup and refresh! But this is what it’s like owning and starting your own business. You do it all. (more…)

Tags: , ,
Posted in fashion&style | 2 Comments »

Tips to Prevent Shopping Anxiety

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

This could be you!

We’ve all been there: standing in the dressing room just staring at ourselves in that dreadful 3-way mirror, wondering why nothing is either fitting or is the look we are going for. In my book this usually happens when I am shopping for an event because I always have an image of what I want and a set time limit to find it. This type of shopping is stressful and tends to turn me into a mad woman, frantically searching for perfect outfit. So to avoid these dressing room breakdowns, I’ve devised some tips and tricks for shopping for events with a time limit.

1. The biggest problem when shopping for an important event is that you know that you want to look a certain way i.e. pretty, sexy, conservative, or trendy. However, simply thinking about the “look” you’re going for often gets you nowhere as nothing you try on seems to work. Instead, before you go shopping make a list of what styles of clothing you would like to wear for this event– a strapless dress, a high wasted skirt, skinny jeans, etc. By doing this you won’t aimlessly pick up everything on the rack because you will have an idea of what you want.

2. Think carefully about where you decide to go shopping and what stores you will find there. The worst thing when shopping for something important is to aimlessly wander in and out of stores and still not find anything. Instead, if you’re going to a mall look at a listing online and see what stores will fit your mission. Also, keep in mind the stores that you frequent but never buy anything from—there is a reason for that and it’s probably not going to change now.

3. Pick the right friend to go along with you. In this mad dash you need someone who doesn’t mind the shopping trip being all about you that day and really wants to help you. It’s also a good idea to bring a friend who has a similar fashion sense so they’re not suggesting that prairie skirt when you are looking for a sleek little black dress.

Bring along a great bag like this one from Urban Outfitters

4. Make sure that you stay full and hydrated. Although this may seem silly, you are only going to be feeling worse if you are starving and dehydrated. When there is a severe time limit, I always recommend bringing an energy bar andwater in your purse so you can stay on track and won’t have to stop.

5. Always come prepared with a strapless bra and high heels. There have been countless times when trying on clothing that I couldn’t tell if I liked something because I didn’t have the proper undergarment or height. Also, it’s never a good idea to think, “Oh, it will look better once I have the right bra on” because it often doesn’t. Do yourself a favor and stash these in your large bag so you will have the best chance possible to find the perfect outfit.

Tags: ,
Posted in fashion&style | 3 Comments »

Alice In Wonderland Inspired Fashion And Accessories

Friday, February 26th, 2010

By Jenna

The highly anticipated Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is almost here. Johnny Depp isn’t the only thing to take notice of (even though we love him and will always have our eye on that magnificent man).  And what would any classic Disney movie be without merchandise? These designers have made some very chic collections inspired from Alice in Wonderland that range from tea sets, to fashion, to jewelry.

Have a looksie:

• Tom Binns for Disney Couture – Available at Bloomingdales and Macy’s in March 2010

• Disney & Swarovski Alice in Wonderland Jewelry – Available at Swarovski.com & Stores February, 2010

  • -Stella McCartney for Disney – Available at Stella McCartney Stores, February 2010

• Sue Wong for Walt Disney Signature – Available at Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s & Suewong.com, March 2010

• Abby Dawn for Disney –Available at Kohl’s in March 2010

• Hot Topic Alice in Wonderland Line – Available at Hot Topic stores (available now) If you’re thinking this line may be a little dark, ::cough cough CNN:: take another look. I was pleasently surprised at how cute the apparel is. Not only are the clothes cute, certain Hot Topic stores have transformed into mini wonderlands so take a trip to an actual store.

• Urban Decay’s Alice In Wonderland Book of Shadows – Available at Sephora, ULTA, Macy’s, Urbandecay.com (now available)

• Alice in Wonderland Tea Set – Available at Bloomingdales, March 2010

• Collectible Action Figures – Available online & specialty stores, March 2010OPI Alice In Wonderland Nail Polish – Available now at Salons

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in fashion&style, Other | 2 Comments »

Eco-Fashion with a Sale Tag

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

by Sara Rust

Spring is just around the corner and not only does that mean a new line from eco-fashion designers, but big sales on fall/winter merch and even some tasty items still hanging around the stores from last spring. Here is a roundup of some fantastic bargains at a few of my favorite online eco-boutiques that will move seamlessly from these last winter months into spring and even summer.

The adorable Delphine dress from Elroy will look as great at the end of February with black tights and a sweater as it will when you rock it to the seasons first cookout with just a pair of flats. Depending on the color you choose it’s made of hemp, bamboo or organic cotton and is now marked down 25%.

Wear this organic wool jacket to combat the daily winter frost now and those chilly spring evenings, later. It’s by Kelly B Couture and is marked down a breathtaking 45% at Green With Glamour now.

Take your savings to the office with these two lovely blouses from “organic pioneers,” Stewart + Brown. They are both 100% organic cotton and are deeply discounted, so strike while the iron is hot. It’s just good business sense.

I love the Cecelia dress from PI Organic. It’s simple shape inspires so many accessory combinations the mind just boggles. It’s a blend of bamboo and organic cotton and is marked down 60%.

And jumping straight to summer, Gretchen & Grace have ecoSkin’s Papyrus Romper marked down 70%! Rompers are my favorite summer lounge wear. They turn hot and sticky and easy breezy in a snap.

Sara Rust is an accomplished writer who specializes in eco-friendly fashion, beauty and trends (among other topics). Check out her blogs: www.porcelainmanifesta.com and Green With Glamour blog.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in fashion&style | 1 Comment »

L.A. Shopping Hot Spots

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Lisa Adams recently shared some budget decorating tips. Today she’s sharing some of her favorite shops in L.A.:

Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony- mix of independent hard to find designers

Beckley – carries Camilla and Marc, Smythe jackets  and fun lingerie

Diavolina – great for sexy dresses, shoes and accessories

Pretty Thing – tucked away in Beverly Hills, great spot to pick up denim, tees and underpinnings

Free City at Ron Herman

Zainab – on Melrose, fabulously edited selection of high end designers not found elsewhere including Cacharel

Lululemon – great workout clothing

Diane Von Furstenberg on Melrose – great dresses, sweaters and tops for work and play (great transitional wear!)

Ron Herman – for their Free City apparel

Lisa Adams is the owner of LA Closet Design and an interior designer who brings a fashionable aesthetic to all her projects.

Tags: ,
Posted in fashion&style | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »