Archive for May, 2008
Whether you’re getting your diploma or attending graduation as a guest, the ideal graduation outfit is dressy enough to respect the occasion–but casual enough to be comfortable. You’ll be facing high temperatures (hello, summer!), intense sunlight (there’s never enough shade to go around), and a long walk (Murphy’s law dictates that the higher the heels you wear, the further you’ll have to walk to and from the car). Let’s dissect the five pieces of this dressy-casual graduation outfit:
Breathable Hat
Keep your cool with a breathable hat–it’ll shield your eyes and keep your head (and hair) from overheating.
Sunglasses
Oversized sunglasses are an au courant–and dramatic–look for a graduation ceremony.
Brightly Colored Dress
Bright colors feel right for May and June graduations. The weather is warm, and the inspirational nature of graduation should be celebrated with a brightly colored dress. White can work, but it’s so easy to get dirty, especially if you’re sitting on stadium seats. And black just doesn’t seem right for the joyous event, particularly because graduations are typically held during the day or early evening.
Heels
You can tell how dressy or how casual an outfit is by the shoes. This bright yellow pair of sandals is one part casual (with the loosely woven strappy style) and one part formal (with the heel height). Perfect for a dressy-casual event like graduation.
Small Purse
If you’re a guest at graduation, you can carry a small clutch or handbag. Note how this clutch coordinates with the shoes, not only in color but also in formality. Both the clutch and the shoes are one part dressy and one part casual.
What are you wearing to graduation? Share your style with us in the comments!
May 15th, 2008
Sure, ice is just water, cold, and time, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Snazz up your next party with jewel shaped ice cubes. Deliciously elegant!
$10 at Fred Flare.
May 15th, 2008
Legend has it that Engineered Garments got its name from a pattern maker that remarked that the clothes weren’t just designed, but engineered, due to the amount of detailing involved in each garment.
I was skeptical too when I read that little tidbit, but I’ve since been won over. The workmanship is top notch and the price, especially for the quality, isn’t outrageous. Pictures don’t do it justice, but we’ll try anyway; here are four pieces we love from the GQ/CFDA “ Best Designer in America†winner.
Plaid Woven Shirt | $144 at Bloomingdales (in store)
It’s a testament to the quality of work when a shirt this busy still is so wearable. It looks even better when it serves as a base layer underneath a jacket. But where can you find a summer-weight jacket that would look good over this shirt, you ask….
Bedford Jacket | $325 at Refinery 29
…why, from the same designer, of course! This unstructured jacket goes well with a pair of dark denim and it’s a great weight for that in-between weather in the summer. The price difference, as far as I can tell, is due solely to exchange rates. The dollar is at an all time low, after all. And you said you’d never need to remember Econ 101…
Natural Raglan Pop Hoody | $80 at Hejfina
Again, outerwear engineered for the summer, it’s great for a cool summer night.
Khaki Norweigian Shorts | $160 at Steven Alan
You’ll either love this or hate this; either way, you can’t argue that it’s ordinary. On the front of the pants are the pockets you usually see on the back.
Where to Buy: Online retailers include Hefjina, Steven Alan Annex, and Stuart & Wright. Boutiques include Hollander & Lexer and Odin (New York), Legion (Los Angeles), Mac (San Francisco), Relish (Washington D.C.), and select Bloomingdales. Though Engineered Garments has been around since 2005, it is only now that the industry has started to take notice. As time progresses, I’m confident that more stores will start carrying Engineered Garments.
May 14th, 2008
We’re digging the open neckline, puffed sleeves, and the insouciant tie-waist on this decidedly casual chic dress.
$39.50 at Gap.
May 14th, 2008
Dear Patient Omiru Readers,
My sincere apologies for today’s downtime! There was a catastrophic disk failure on the computer that’s hosting Omiru. Completely unexpected, and time consuming to fix. Luckily, the guys over at Hostmonster were able to get the site back up and running this evening (minus 10 days worth of data, which I just fixed back up).
Now that the site’s back up and running, we’re back to work on some great new stories for you this week, including a Designer Profile on a chic new(ish) men’s brand and a post about graduation fashion. Stay tuned!
Cheers,
Trisha and the Omiru Team
May 13th, 2008
Two of Matt Meyerson’s favorite affordable under-the-radar brands: Modern Amusement (hoodie and tote) and Creative Recreation (shoes).
Matt Meyerson, former product placement guru for a top entertainment PR firm, is striking out on his own to create Expose NY, a new kind of brand showcase to connect top-tier designers, stylists, and fashion editors. Read on to hear about Expose NY and the cutting edge of fashion PR, what Matt looks for in an up-and-coming brand, and his top picks for affordably chic under the radar brands.
Omiru: What is Expose NY? And why is it different from events like Fashion Week or tradeshows like MAGIC?
Matt: Expose NY is the first in a series of brand showcases that will geared towards top-tier stylists and fashion editors.
I used to run the product placement division of a very large entertainment PR firm in Los Angeles, where I created a niche in fashion and became known for exposing brands through everything from print to film to TV to music videos to the Web to celebrities to events.
I had a denim client that liked to do periodic “editor days†in NYC since he didn’t have an agency on the East Coast and he wanted the face time. We did a handful of successful events that brought in editors from outlets such as Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, WWD, O, and Self.
About a year ago a light bulb turned on in my head, and I realized there could be a real need for an event like this on a larger scale. I am very protective of my contacts and relationships that I have built over the years, but this is a way for brands to capitalize on my rolodex and forge relationships themselves with the people deciding what goes in the mags, on the TV and on celebrities. It is for brands that don’t necessarily show on the runways and may not have a showroom in NY. This will be a way for them to get into the heads of the editors and stylists as they begin to plan for Spring.
Expose is nothing like Fashion Week or MAGIC because this is an event strictly for editors and stylists. As much as we love the retailers, this event is not for them. When editors and stylists go to trade shows like MAGIC, Project or Coterie (if they pay to get in) they have to sift through thousands of brands they may not be interested in to get to the ones they want to see or the ones that might be a hot new discovery for them.
Expose will cut through the clutter and showcase a few handfuls of the hottest brands not showing on the catwalk. There will be quality control on both ends of the process so the brands are meeting with the right people and the guests are seeing lines that they WILL want to use either now or in the future.
We are not like other events that will let in anybody willing to pay. We would rather have a few amazing brands than a bunch of lines nobody cares about. Quality will get the best editors there, not quantity.
O: How do you spot up-and-coming brands? What catches your attention about them? What makes them special?
M: Expose will be a combination of my spotting and inviting brands and them finding us. Brand selection will be very comprehensive and will require an online application, current line sheets, and samples for review. This way we make sure only the highest quality and best in category brands are involved.
What makes a great up-and-coming brand is not price or hype. We look for details and focus on creating garments or accessories that do not necessarily follow the masses. We want brands that are timeless, really focus on good manufacturing, pay attention to detail and offer something that fills a void in the marketplace.
We are in a terribly competitive environment in an economy that is not so high. You could have the hottest line in the world, but if you are sitting with it in the cornfields of Iowa and you don’t know how to get it out there, you will not succeed. We help brands get out there. Exposure is EVERYTHING. Thanks to the internet, and sites like Omiru, people are ravenous to find what’s hot and what the next best thing is. All that info is a few clicks away.
O: Omiru is all about real style for real people–and fashion that’s not only beautiful, but also affordable. What under-the-radar brands should Omiru readers know about?
M: Expose is by no means just about luxury and high price points. If you are the absolute best line in price pointed apparel and are doing some amazing things, we would love to have you join us. Look at what Target is doing with brands like Jovovich Hawk or Kohl’s with Vera Wang. Steve and Barry’s and H & M are all killing it when it comes to affordable fashion and we can’t ignore the power of this space especially when the cost of living keeps going up exponentially.
Some great “under-the-radar†lines (and I say this tongue in cheek since you may know a lot of these lines) include Cheap Monday, anything at Target, Levi’s, Creative Recreation, Modern Amusement, and Insight 51. My tastes run a tad more casual, but there is so much great stuff out there for every taste that you can mix and match haute with (price pointed) hot and really pull it off. I can’t tell you how many people I know that rock Gucci coupled with a Target special.
For more information about Expose NY, check out http://www.expose-ny.com.
May 13th, 2008
Prepare your food in the kitchen with these small bamboo wood condiment cups, and then bring them out to the table for serving afterwards.
3.75″ diameter x .75″ tall, set of two.
$10 at Branch Home.
May 13th, 2008
We asked: Would you wear High Waisted Pants?
You said: No to High Waisted Pants, with only 30% of the vote.
Style tip? High Waisted Pants work well for long-waisted women, as they lengthen the leg line by visually raising your waistline. For short-waisted women, on the other hand, they’re a fashion nightmare. Either way, wearing too high of a waistline can appear somewhat theatrical, so for everyday wear, you probably want to stick to medium high waist styles, at most.
Next question: Floral prints feel just like Spring. But what do you think? Tell us, would you wear Floral Prints? Cast your vote on the sidebar!
Pictured: Twenty8twelve Royce High Waisted Sailor Pant | $340 at Shopbop.
May 12th, 2008
We’re digging this Radiolaria Bracelet, made of silicone rubber cut into an organic network of distorting ellipses. What are radiolaria, you ask? Amoeba-like tiny organisms that live in the sea.
Find more gorgeous jewelry at Nervous Systems, founded by two MIT grads Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg.
$55 at Nervous System.
May 12th, 2008
Here at Omiru, we heart Martin and Osa, a refined take on casual clothes from American Eagle Outfitters. (In fact, I’m wearing one of the jackets from the Spring collection as I write this post.) Clean silhouettes, stunning colors, and elegant patterns are signature elements of their Summer 2008 collection. Here’s our five favorite pieces from Martin + Osa’s womens collection (each under $100):
Silk Tie Neck Tunic | $54.40 (sale) at Martin + Osa
Don’t you love the attention to detail on this silk tie-neck blouse? We love how the silk lends an ethereal quality to the deep caspian blue.
Multi-Stripe Cotton Scarf | $48 at Martin + Osa
You already said Yes to Horizontal Stripes, so here’s an easy way to wear them.
Hobo Ruched Pouch | $68 at Martin + Osa
We’re digging the bright orange color of this cute ruched pouch. Think of it as a playful version of Hermes Orange.
Print Silk Shirt Dress | $78.40 (sale) at Martin + Osa
Fisherman’s net print takes this silk shirt dress from simple to simply sublime.
Military Blazer | $59.95 (sale) at Martin + Osa
One part structured and one part sexy.
Don’t have a Martin + Osa close to you? Their online site offers free shipping and free returns on all orders. Plus, Omiru readers get 15% off with coupon code 43602753 through May 30, 2008. Happy shopping!
May 9th, 2008
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