Racked recently did a store comparison of Zara, Uniqlo and Barneys; and shared what $300 could get you at each store. I loved the post so much that I scooped the entire thing but, I did want to add a few style notes to the purchases: Zara ~ they showed six pieces with two pieces being items you’ll have for years to come (necklace, hat); the necklace dresses up any look and the hat — we all love/need the oversized floppy
Just opened on one of the most picturesque alleyways in Chicago and surrounded by legendary Gold Coast restaurants, Brunello Cucinelli has opened its doors. The fairly monochromatic Italian maker of clothing, outerwear, shoes and accessories focuses on quality of material in contemporary shapes. The autumn/winter Cucinelli material library has expanded to include more versatile outerwear made of leather and reversed shearling. For down jackets, all the quills are removed from the feather so pieces are even easier to squish and comfort. The
My Philadelphia Shopping Road Trip! If you’re in the mood for: something ‘quick-n-dirty’ but stylishly eco-haute, drive an environmentally and wallet-friendly Malibu Eco and pray for some stealthy parking karma in Old City and City Center (made easier by the compact build of the Malibu with a rear vision camera!!) as you tap into the city’s stylish underbelly. Route to take: Straight shot on 95 North ~ not too scenic but quick and painless Good to know: Have your $13 in tolls available
I’ve been deeply in love with Zara for years. They also have a section called TRF (here is their May lookbook) which, to me, represents the younger, West coast boho aesthetic. It’s not me but I can appreciate that several pieces are basically fabulous and worth a skim through the book.
Recently Conde Nast Traveler did a piece on 11 mobile stores to visit and we were intrigued…and now fully engaged! Last week, we highlighted Bootleg, a women’s footwear shoegasm in Austin, TX. This week we checked out Aetherstream out of San Francisco, CA ~it’s kinda like the SWAT team of Aether’s bricks-n-mortar outfit. Aetherstream features tailored, technical lifestyle apparel for men. It’s weekend and outdoorsy gear that is anything but grungy ! more rugged individualist. We haven’t been inside but
…and if the proliferation of all these food trucks is any indication of what it means to take-the-show-on-the-road then Bootleg is on fire! This mobile footwear fête is located in Austin so you may not be able to make it there straight away but just marvel at the selection of shoes Sarah carries from Esquivel to Camilla Skovgaard. Check out Condé Nast Traveler‘s other mobile stores to visit (we’ll be featuring a men’s mobile store next week)…
Erin Crandall took a part time job at a boutique in Madison, Wisconsin called Bop. By her senior year, she was a salaried employee, fearing she would miss graduation because she was in Paris on a buying trip. Bop morphed into its current namesake, ShopBop.com, while she was there and once she left to travel as the site’s head buyer, she settled in New York. Since then, she has gotten married, parted with Shopbop and opened her NYC clothing store and its recently launched e-commerce site, A
I’d say the easy answer is “yes”. Yes not only because that’s the rhetorical question/title of this post, but also because we have television shows that talk about “dives”; we have restaurant ratings that include “upscale dining”; and we have numerous jokes about where we will and won’t eat based on whether the menu is posted or not. So what is stylish eats? Since this is my blog, my rules: Delectable eats and treats {if you want to lick your
“The Bomb” isn’t the name of the store – that’s Ina – and it’s in New York City. And actually there are six locations, so know which to go to for what: NOHO at 15 Bleecker Street is for men and women SOHO at 101 Thompson Street is for women NOLITA at 21 Prince Street is for women NOLITA at 19 Prince Street is for men CHELSEA at 207 W. 18th Street is for men and women UPTOWN at 208
We just got word that The Webster in Miami is doing a designer collab with Target. This collab, due out in May, will feature a collection in which everything is under $50 (hello!) and while it likely won’t be the same stuff from Milan Vukmirovic‘s super high-end Miami hot spot {they carry Balmain and most of their shoes run 4-5-6-$700+ bucks!}, we’re almost assured the $18 Havaianas will be! This store is for you if you want ‘uptown boy meets city
The limited-edition collection hits stores. Find out where to grab your Jason Wu for Target pieced by going to Facebook and then mapping your day on February 5th. You can look at the entire 29-piece collection at Racked National. Highlights include: fairly short hemlines (mid-thigh) ladylike styling and cuts form fitting but not overly snug reasonably priced ( as in everything is under $50) Style Notes: we love it because it’s not too outlandish, it’s not too ordinary, and the feminine cuts are flattering
Thanks to Madison Avenue Spy who posted about this a day or so ago ~ it’s always fun to know what others are spending on. An analysis company, Bundle, compiled their list of the most expensive shops in America by looking at the average receipt amounts based on millions of transactions done in clothing stores across the U.S from April 2010 to May 2011. Which ones do you frequent? Oscar de la Renta, NYC Georgio Armani, NYC Loro Piana, Boston Akris,
This sponsored post by Lexus is the last in a series focused on various artists and written word poets. This week we’re looking at Artist Marsha Ambrosius and Poet Georgia Me. I have watched Marsha while she was part of Floetry and afterwards….always with her own style and slightly chic bohemian. She tapped into her true north personal style continuously and has found her own voice [no pun intended]. What we love about her style as seen in this photo: She is
Channel your inner 8th grader fast because Hello Kitty (aka Sanrio) and Forever 21 have collaborated to bring tees, intimates and accessories to Forever 21 starting November 18. Here are a few looks that we think are cute…. BTW — we will be purchasing a few intimates (it’s all good to be a little girl in private)!
photo courtesy of Racked National The Missoni x Target collaboration will officially launch on a day far, far away…September 13th. The fashion marriage is a full-on lifestyle line featuring all categories (womenswear, menswear, kids, footwear, accessories, bed & bath, home, office, travel, blah blah blah). Prices will be between $2.99 to $599.99 (we have no ideal what could be that much at Target), but you could pimp you pad in all-Missoni at this rate!
Debuting in September 2010, Apartstyle.com made it possible for American women to discover what women overseas had known since 1977 (when Apart first launched)—that when it comes to fashion, you never have to sacrifice quality for stand-out style and craftsmanship. For the last six months, Apart has been featuring It Girls – – – fashion-forward ladies who know how to rock the walkway by creating their own personal style. The August It Girl is none other than Monica Barnett, Blueprint
We got hold of J Crew’s Fall 2011 Lookbook and while it’s a complete downer to think about fall, this is the world we live in! Designers and retailers are always at least 3 months ahead of where we are…. Style notes: J Crew keep the embellishments to a minimum ♦ the lines are clean and long ♦ the shoes have almond-shaped toe caps ♦ neutrals are still in effect but colors are vibrant and rich ♦ the styling is all
Lands’ End Canvas asked us to do a post related to being ‘beach ready’. So, I commenced the search for the perfect bathing suit and decided it was a two-piece with ruffles and shirring (to create a bust) and side bikini ties (to create of an hourglass shape)….and of course, papaya coloring would finish off the sunkissed look. The better surprise was the straw tote (approx 14″H x 15″W) that can accommodate everything
You can look haute ‘n sexy and ready to rock the runway on any given day if you simply sign up for Rent the Runway. This dress is fabulous! It costs $350. You can have it for $50 … if you sign up for Rent the Runway. Here’s how it works: Find a dress that suits your fancy. Occasions covered include Cocktail Party, Summer Party, Beach Vacation, Black Tie Affair & more Confirm your size along with one free alternate
The house of Mauboussin was created in 1827 in Paris, by M. Rocher, in collaboration of Jean-Baptiste Noury. Specializing in high-end jewelry for decades, it has gained recognition and multiple prizes throughout the years. The focal point of Mauboussin is to share emotions with its clients….to place luxury where it belongs: in the street! They….want to offer a choice of creative pieces, renewed, accessible and of high quality, because that’s exactly what luxury is! Across the next two weeks, Blueprint for
I am not a floral or print fan in general, however when I saw this top, my heart skipped a beat! Was it a case of the hiccups or is this a simply stunning top?
A little while back, Derek Lam in conjunction with eBay ran a contest to get some “help” selecting the five dresses he’d have for his capsule collection for eBay and the time has come. The 5 winners ahve been chosen and you can now pre-order them on eBay. BTW – I chose dress #4 (I know it’s predictable but…..) because it had classic versatility, it worked with lots of different body shapes, and it presented the chance to see black in
A sturdy heel….perfect evne for those without great balance A visible platform…adds cushion and comfort for those who wilt quickly in heels A vibrant color….completely in line with this spring’s ‘vibrant color’ trend and wearable at work Reasonably priced (£19.99)….for anyone strapped for cash right now The retailer, New Look, is out of England…and they know fashion!
Washington, DC Metro Area
barnettm@blueprintforstyle.com
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