Posts from — July 2009

Pop quiz. The reunion is right around the corner. You feel:

A. Nothing special.
B. Slightly anxious.
C. So utterly excited you attempt to sew a party dress.

The right answer? Definitely C – because the Project Runway All-Star Challenge reunion show is airing on August 20^th! They’re bringing back some of my favorite contestants, and as always the amazing talent and rampant drama should make for a fantastic segment.

The two-hour special will run at 8 p.m., followed by the new season of Project Runway.

There was an excited buzz in our office yesterday as we watched a segment on Shop It To Me air on NBC Philadelphia News! Fashion expert Lilliana Vazquez leads the segment, and we were thrilled to see that she not only did an excellent job of capturing the essence of our site, but she also showcased some of our fantastic users.  When Lilliana is not raving about our site, she also reports for American Latino TV, and even has her very own blog, The Cheap Chica’s Guide to Style. One thing’s for certain, if you keep up to date with this inspirational woman you will always be in the know about great fashion trends for amazing prices!

Make sure to check out the segment to learn about some features we offer that you might not already know about, and to hear some of the amazing discounts that our users have scored. From all of us at Shop It To Me, we would like to say a giant thank you to Lilliana Vazquez and everyone at NBC Philadelphia!

Owning the “perfect handbag” is every girls dream, but choosing one from the thousands of different styles/sizes/textiles can be daunting. Get the breakdown of current handbag trends directly from an insider in the fashion business, The Stylista Diaries. Her blog has a delightful assortment of current trends, fashion news, and editorial perspectives that will most definitely pique your interest!

Handbags are a staple to every girl’s wardrobe and they house essential things that are useful for our daily lives such as cell phones, money, and keys. Frankly, I don’t know what I would do without handbags; if anything I would feel rather naked! Since we rely on them every day, we might as well spice things up and invest in some great pieces. But what’s so fun about a plain black bag? Toss that aside for now and get the hottest looks of the season. Below are my top 5 picks of current handbag trends!

1. Bold Colors: Who says color is reserved for the spring/summer? Why not invest in some bold bags all year round? The best thing about bold-colored bags is that they allow you to take that all black ensemble and instantly kick it up a notch! Choose from colors such as mustard yellow, pink, turquoise, cobalt blue, deep purple, or grass green, and more importantly, don’t be afraid to make a statement!

Tory Burch’Thalie Shoulder Bag’: Reg: $495.00

Tory Burch ‘Utility North South Tote’: $450.00

Aldo ‘Barumuni’: Reg: $45.00, Now: $27.98

Topshop ‘Qulited Piped Cross Body Bag’: Reg: 25 Pounds

Bottega Veneta Mustard Yellow Bag

Valentino Braided Tote, Reg: $2,110, Now: $1,295

2. Studded: Studs have been gracing handbags from the likes of Tory Burch to Marc Jacobs. Adding these gold and silver touches to basic handbag designs gives it a new ’80s vibe, making them more edgy and rocker glam. Studded handbags come in various styles — whether they’re small subtle embellishments down the middle of the bag or huge pyramid studs that adorn the entire bag, there is definitely a style that fits everyone. Wear your studded handbag with a pair of destroyed skinny jeans, gladiators, and a loose tee to create that edgy vibe! Rock on!

Novela Royal ‘Mister Stud Bowler Bag’: Reg: $584.00

Marc Jacobs ‘Stardust Shoulder Bag’: Reg: $550.00

Rebecca Minkoff ‘Supernova Stud Devote Handbag’: $694.00

Tory Burch ‘Studded Messenger Bag’: $575.00

Valentino ‘Maison Studded Tote’: $2,495.00

3. Fringe: With celebs such as Mary-Kate Olsen and Nicole Ritchie popularizing the bohemian style, it was only natural that this style would translate into handbags as well. Although there are several styles out there, I prefer slouchy hobos or long strapped shoulder bags that make your outfit feel relaxed and efforless . Wear this fringe bag with a maxi dress and you’re ready to shop at the vintage flea markets!

J.J Winters ‘Suede Fringe Bag’: Reg: $490.00

Shop Intuition ‘Fringe Bag’: Reg: $315.00

Forever 21 ‘Valiah Studded Fringe Tote’: Reg: $34.00, Now: $16.99

Furla ‘Halley Bag’: Reg: $780.00, Now: $468.00

4. Crossbody Bags (Slings)/ Long Shoulder bags: Lately, I’ve spotted several purses with straps that are definitely longer than usual. The long shoulder bags have been revived from the ’80s and early ’90s. These shoulder bags are functional in that they can also be worn as a crossbody bag, or sling as well (depending how long it is). If worn as a sling, the best thing about them is not having to constantly worry about them slipping off your shoulders. It’s definitely a “no fuss” bag, yet it still retains its fashionable aspect. If worn as a regular long shoulder bag, you can pull off the “vintage” look by pairing it with flats and skinny jeans. However you wear it, you’ll definitely look chic with this bag!

Marc by Marc Jacobs ‘Percy Turnlock Crossbody Bag’: Reg: $198.00

Jack Rabbit ‘The Concord Crossbody’: Reg: $595.00

Elliot Luca ‘Valencia Crossbody’: Reg: $98.00, Now: $49.00

Cole Haan Women’s Village Leather Cross-Body: Reg: $195.00

5. Clutches: Give your shoulders a break from those heavy bags and pick up a clutch! They come in so many different patterns, shapes, and sizes that it’s impossible to not find the perfect one for you. Go for sleek, structured bags or if you’re feeling a little gutsy, opt for fun patterns such as ikat. Clutches are so versatile; you can pair them with jeans for a more casual look or wear a bold faux python patterned one with a classic LBD!

Halston ’70′s Envelope Clutch’: Reg: $548.49

Raquel Faux Python Clutch: Reg: $23.96

Imon ‘Global Chic Classic Couture Envelope Clutch’: Reg: $49.95 (sold out)

Calling all San Francisco fashionistas!

The Legendary Barney’s New York Warehouse Sale is coming to San Francisco for the first time ever! It starts tomorrow (Thursday, July 30th) and will go through August 9th. The madness excitement will be going down at the Fort Mason Center Herbst Pavillion for a glorious 11 days.

Designer clothing, shoes, and accessories will be a whopping 50-75% off.

To say us Shop It To Me gals are excited for the sale would be a drastic understatement (we have had our after-work carpool arranged for about a week now). We like you, but that’s not to say we won’t wrestle you for $150 Louboutins! Hey, it’s all in good fun…

New York and L.A., no need to fret – Barney’s did not forget you! Here’s your valuable info:

• New York – 255 West 17th Street (August 20th – September 7th)
• Los Angeles – Los Angeles Convention Center (August 13th – August 23rd)

Just thought you might like to know!

Many of you are probably already familiar with Scott Schuman, aka The Sartorialist. The Sartorialist travels the world shooting inspiring looking people with to-die-for outfits. His pictures make a once aspiring photographer (myself) envious due their consistently ingenuous composition and contrast, not to mention their impeccable usage of depth of field that draws the eye right to the object of attention.

Now being the fashion/photography obsessed person that I am, I was absolutely thrilled to find out that The Sartorialist has arranged 500 of his images into a book. The book will be mainly pictures and a bit of writing, and can be pre-ordered at amazon.com right now for a very reasonable price of $16.50! I have already jumped on this offer, and would encourage anyone who is looking for a little bit of inspiration in their daily life to do the same. Here’s to hoping this book will make my teeny college apartment a bit more classy!

Us gals at Shop It To Me can’t get enough of the lovely and talented (and clearly fashionable) Katrina Szish. She’s an in-the-know TV personality and pop culture journalist with tons of great advice on fashion and beauty. She was kind enough to answer a few questions, and provide us eager listeners with some excellent fashion tips.

Here’s what Katrina had to say:

Your favorite restaurant:

The Corner Bistro, the best burgers and fries at the best price, not to mention the best bartender in NYC

If women splurge on one item in their life, what would you recommend?

A new pair of to-die-for vertiginous heels every season OR a two-week vacation once a year no matter what

Your personal favorite brands:

YSL platforms, Lanvin flats, Linea Pelle bags, Alexis Bittar earrings and rings, Martin + Osa paper-thin cashmere cardigans, Ray Ban Jackie Oh sunglasses, Tracy Feith dresses

Advice to gals on a shopping budget:

Don’t buy loads of cheap, low-quality stuff at the uber-inexpensive chains.  Fill in just a few trendy blanks with of-the-moment pieces at places like Zara (the jumpsuit or a pair of harem pants, for example).  Then focus on accessories.  Buy one high-end pair of shoes each season (things go on sale so quickly, so it’s easy to score a deal), one quality bag per season or year (I like something classic and chic like Ferragamo or Chanel, and I find great options at the outlets for a fraction of the department store prices; “it”-bags are tragically un-hip and tragically over-priced), and splurge on ONE item that you are crazy about and can promise yourself you’ll wear oodles of times, such as an amazing dress or a fab winter coat.  Finally, do your homework — you literally can’t afford to be lazy…stay on top of sales, look for discounts, hit up discount shops like Century 21, and look for deals at luxury outlets such as Woodbury Commons or Premium Desert Outlets in Palm Springs.

Our advice? Listen to Katrina! Prop yourself up in some fancy heels, take that vacay you’ve been dreaming of, and remember that certain items are simply worth the splurge.

Be sure to check out her site for photos, news, videos, and more. Thanks, Katrina!

Accessories are a hot trend of the moment, according to today’s Wall Street Journal.  The article, which covered the accessories trend, highlighted a survey recently conducted with Shop It To Me subscribers.  In our June Shopping Habits survey, nearly a third  of you said you’re still “splurging” on shoes, and nearly 25% doing so handbags!  But only 15% of you are still splurging on work clothing.

Many examples included in the article demonstrated that accessories are a way for consumers to be able to score luxury-like items for less.  There’s a retailer push to gain mid-level consumers, and shoppers seem to be gravitating toward accessories, rather than apparel, as affordable yet statement pieces.

Other interesting tidbits presented in the article:

• J.Crew opened its first accessories boutique last month in New York and soon will release its third accessories catalog.
• Gap Inc. launched the first accessories-only branch of Banana Republic, called Edition, in May in San Francisco Centre
• Henri Bendel, part of the Limited Brands Inc. portfolio, is expanding its offerings this summer with six more stand-alone accessories stores.

So jump on the train — it’s time to scoop up bold jewelry, handbags, and shoes!

Leanne Marshall–we all grew to love her on Project Runway, but will she make it in the world of ready to wear? We have compiled two expert opinions on her Bluefly line from our Trendsetter The Anti Pop, and Shop It To Me’s very own Tamra. You have the pleasure of reading frequent posts from Tamra, but don’t forget to check out The Anti Pop’s blog for more of writer Nicky-Ann’s witty take on the fashion industry.

Leanne’s Line Doesn’t Cut It – Nicky-Ann: You may remember Leanne Marshall as the nerdy winner of Bravo’s fashion hit show Project Runway (Season 5). The California native flexed her fashion geek muscles with the release of her collection on Bluefly earlier this month. I expected a lot from the designer, and was excited to see what chic eco-friendly creations she’d produce. While she does not disappoint with her signature pleats and draping, Leanne’s pieces are overpriced, unoriginal, and uninspiring.

My favorite casual dresses are the fuschia Cora swing ($248) and the coral Victrine bubble dress ($275). Super cute and ready-to-wear, these dresses are transformable from day to night, but not worth the wallet damage.

The formal Elanna royal blue strapless gown is pretty, but underwhelming and cliched. Not notable traits for a garment that retails at $990!

The rest of the pieces are casual tops and skirts done with the same monotonous pleated pattern. I am all for girly frill, but Leanne takes things overboard, incorporating the look into almost every piece. I like the Jasmine cropped jacket a lot but doubt I’d be willing to pay a whopping $220 for it. The Lana ruffle skirt ($168) is reminiscent of the first day of school wear for a grade schooler – cute, but not sexy and lacks contemporary fun.

All in all, Leanne is a let down. For more bang for your buck, I’d peruse more established designers on Bluefly (Free People, Alice & Olivia, T-Bags just to name a few). Marshall delivers mediocre cuts that we’ve seen before at prices we’d rather not see right now (recession, anyone?). We’ll continue to look out for better options the next time around. She’s young – she’s got time to prove herself to us. Till then, Leanne: you’re out. Auf Wiedersehen.

Leanne’s Line Delivers – Tamra: On last season’s Project Runway, Leanne Marshall was one of my favorite contestants, due to her draped and feminine style, and also her calm and “nice girl” personality.  A hard gal not to like!  So when her line hit Bluefly last week, I was so excited to check out her pieces!

From the runway to website offering, Leanne delivered a consistent style aesthetic, and produced items that felt very ‘her’.  I was impressed at this young designer’s ability to have a signature style and stick with it!  And, I was delighted to see a few pieces that were BOTH wallet-friendly and wearable.

Too often it seems that the Project Runway designers feel the need to create something so ‘out-there’ it’s hard to imagine an everyday woman pulling it off (perfect example is Christian Siriano who made beautiful and unique pieces, but I can’t imagine a single friend wearing them!).  Leanne, on the other hand, provided a few options that I could imagine many women picking up and feeling great in.

My two favorite tops are above – basic yet stylish, with a fun feminine flirtiness.  It’s gotta be tough as a designer to come up with unique pieces that reflect your personal style, and can be produced in fabrics that aren’t overly prohibitive to the fashion-loving gal on a budget.  And she hit it spot on with these two shirts – kudos!

Now that you’ve read two sides of the debate, and seen some photos of the line, we want to know, what do you think of Leanne Marshall’s line for Bluefly?

Don’t let the seasons get in the way of your wardrobe anymore. Our Trendsetter Clueless Fashionista is here to help you extend the wear of your favorite maxi dresses for a few more months, while still remaining ultra chic. Her blog features some great fashion and beauty tips, plus some easy-to-follow makeup tutorials that you must not miss!

I have two words for you — maxi dresses!  This year I discovered the maxi dress.  Well let me clarify, I discovered that the maxi dress could work for me.  I’ve known about them ever since they became popular again about a year or so ago.  However, I thought that the wonderfully flowy dresses were reserved for women who were leggy or tiny, neither of which I am.  So I admired them from afar.

This year, as I searched for dresses to add to my wardrobe, I decided to try one on.  It was wonderful!  The flowy material that I thought would over-emphasize my curves, managed to hug the places I wanted it to and hang loosely over the places I didn’t.  Plus they are fabulously comfortable!  I fell in love and proceeded to get several of them.  My maxi dresses are so comfortable that I had to figure out a way to take them into the fall season.

I figured out a few cool ways to move the maxi dress seamlessly from the hot summer months to the cooler fall months.

1. Pair it with a short, cropped jacket
2. Throw on a great scarf
3. Wear it with a nice cardigan or sweater
4. Throw a short or long sleeved t-shirt underneath it

Now I must caution you here.  If you want to experiment with any of these transitions, make sure you do a test run first.  Put on the outfit, pull out your full length mirror (that EVERY woman should have) and take a look.  Maxi dresses come in so many different styles that one transitional piece may work better than another.  Be realistic.  Transitional pieces should be just as fabulous as the pieces they’re transitioning.

Yes, it is the middle of summer which means the last thing anyone wants to be thinking of is rain, or Fall, or cold. But let’s be practical for a minute…when you buy apparel out of season, you’re going to score some pretty outrageous deals! Why not brighten up your rainy days with the debut of your brand new hot pink umbrella?

Free People ‘Love On Me’ Umbrella: Reg: $48.00, Now: $29.95

Patterned rain boots are cutesy and fun, while solid colors can be effortlessly thrown on…which do you prefer?

(Left) J.Crew Ptinted Tie-Front Wellies: Reg: $49.50, Now: $29.99

(Right) Ugg Australia ‘Rubber/Shearling’ Rainboots: Reg: $150.00, Now: $105.50

My personal opinion: I’m a big fan of the pink bow and polka dots, but the comfy lining that the Ugg boots use has won me over!