Issue XVII of the Friday Fashion Hotlist: a weekly compilation of the cutest and coolest stuff Style Intelligence Report saw out there this week.
This week, in honor of tomorrow’s grand opening of H&M’s first West Coast store in San Francisco, we present to you comfortable, stylish shoes for our all-time favorite sport: shopping.
Between standing for hours on end in line and speed shopping the venerably cheap chic racks at H&M, shopping might as well be a sport. In any case, we bet that the fashionistas around the Stella McCartney displays will be engaging in some sort of contact sport by the time the clothes are gone.
For women…
Stylish, functional, and comfortable–what’s not to love about this shoe?
And for men…
Love the two tone white and tan, with the green accents. And the side grommets give this casual shoe a dose of extra flair.
Posted by Trisha on November 18th, 2005 in Friday Fashion Hotlist, Trend |
In the spirit of the holiday redecorating season, we present our top picks for home accents from Crate and Barrel. Perfect for a quick pick-me-up for your home!
Posted by Trisha on November 16th, 2005 in Shopping Guide, Home |
How to feel like a Greek goddess:
Step 1: Slip on slinky, form-fitting yet irresistibly comfortable jersey piece…
Tufi Duek Pintuck Pleated Sleeveless Top in Wine $138 at
Bluefly
Jill Stuart ‘Natasha’ in Slate Blue $177 at Bluefly
Strapless Dress with Sequins $297 at ABS
Sean by Sean Combs Slinky Jersey Top $175 at
GirlshopStep 2: Make yourself an ambrosia cocktail (the drink of the gods).
Step 3: Strut your stuff.
Posted by Susannah on November 15th, 2005 in Trend, Trendscape, Trendscape, Women |
A certain garment has been spotted everywhere: the shirred satin/taffeta/chiffon strapless dress. Said dress was worn by Kirsten Dunst (in a beautiful Bottega Veneta version) for In Style’s cover feature this month, and has been popping up in specialty stores nationwide. Get ‘em while they’re hot!
Teal Shirred Strapless Dress | $264 at ABS
Posted by Susannah on November 15th, 2005 in Trend, Trendscape, Trendscape, What's In and What's Out, Women |
After all of our discussion about the democratization of fashion, we thought it would only be appropriate to do a spread on cheap chic. The items below are the perfect way to update your wardrobe with the trends of the moment, from tuxedo jackets to bell sleeves to brocade skirts.
Metro7 Tuxedo Jacket in Black $28.94 at Wal-Mart
Polder Cotton Tote with Leather Detailing $69.99 at La Redoute
Isaac Mizrahi for Target
Houndstooth Jacket $34.99 at Target
Isaac Mizrahi for Target Brocade
A-Line Skirt in White Gold $24.99 at Target
Textured T-Strap Heels in Plum $59.99 at
La Redoute Posted by Susannah on November 15th, 2005 in Shopping Guide, Women |
AdWeek magazine is reporting that design is the new frontier for marketers:
"In the past five years, design has climbed to the front of the American consciousness, and people not only expect form-beyond-function in public spaces, but they want stylish products to bring into their homes. As part of this new preoccupation, a growing number of clients are looking to design-centric brands for inspiration, specifically, Apple’s small (and getting smaller) miracle. From the iPod’s shape and size to its advertising, packaging and point of sale, it is a modern marketing marvel that other advertisers are looking to emulate."
Makes perfect sense, considering the intensely crowded product marketplace. When you’re out shopping for a commodity good, like hand soap, what helps you make a decision on which product to buy?
- Price? Maybe, if there were significant price differences, like one bottle for $5 and another for $2.
- Quality? How can you really tell by looking at the product on the shelf? Also, if it’s something like soap, where quality doesn’t differ greatly between products, how important is the quality?
- Brand? The brand might give me an indication of quality, and if it’s a familiar one, it might give me a reassurance that the product is going to perform well. But what helps define the brand and make it memorable?
That’s right–it’s design.
In our humble opinion, design helps to elevate products–from portable music devices like the iPod to basic consumer packaged goods like soap–above the masses. Faced with so many choices, consumers (ourselves included) need quick, easy cues to help us make buying decisions. And great product design goes beyond providing those easy visual cues, as it also can make product use easier.
That’s our two cents. What do you think?
What do you look for when making a product purchase? And does design play a role in your purchasing decision?
Posted by Trisha on November 14th, 2005 in News |
Birkin, Balenciaga, Botkier, Bulga…Anyone tired of hearing the same old status bag names over and over again?
We went on a recent handbag hunt to find a status bag that doesn’t scream "I WANT TO BE COOL" but rather a purse that would garner quiet but notable attention and give off that "I’m money but way too classy to flash it in your face" feel. These purses may cost you a pretty penny, but they’ll be worth it once everyone stops you to ask, "Whose bag are you wearing?"
Tory by TRB Velvet Logo Tote $298 at Tory
Hayden-Harnett Lorca Flap Demi Bag
with Clyde Tassel in Bronze $273 at Luna Boston
Paige Haircalf Hobo in Chocolate/Cream $575 at
Cole Haan
Posted by Susannah on November 14th, 2005 in Shopping Guide, Women |
Issue XVI of the Friday Fashion Hotlist: a weekly compilation of the cutest and coolest stuff Style Intelligence Report saw out there this week.
This week, we turned up an adorably cute dress (holiday party, anyone?) for women, and a biker-chic pair of men’s pants.
For women…
We love (1) the perfectly-on trend (and generally flattering) color, (2) the pintucking, and (3) the beaded appliqué. Pair it with a cream colored shawl, and you’ll be ready for an evening out on the town!
And for men…
Roman Kapadia "Pit Pants" | $259 at Guyshop
We’re strong believers in the beauty in the Details, and by that measure, this pair of pants has beauty to spare. Between the grommets, the seam detailing, and the back zippers, Kapadia’s "Pit Pants" strikes a balance between trendiness and utility.
Posted by Trisha on November 11th, 2005 in Friday Fashion Hotlist, Trend |
We’re huge fans of Restoration Hardware, having fallen in love years ago with their signature Silver Sage paint.
So in keeping with our Home Shopping mini-series, we shopped Restoration Hardware to bring to you the best home goods the store has to offer. We chose items that allow you to give your home a makeover not by changing its entire wardrobe, but rather by adding some choice accessories.
Presenting our top five "Quick Fix for the Holidays" picks:
A great-looking throw will spruce up any ho-hum couch. The Isabella throw is only available in Maize (the yellow color shown on the left), but it’s discounted from an original price of $129. We like the garnet too, but the maize color works beautifully with a chocolate brown.
This bar tool set is perfect for parties, and it exudes a classiness reminiscent of 1930s Hollywood.
Distort reality with these simply fascinating mirrors. Small (19") is $129, Medium (23") is $329, and Large (32") is $429.
Great as a personal scrapbook + room divider, all in one! If you want something smaller scale, try the Memo Board instead.
The striped pillow cover is $35, but the other two (medallion and damask) check in at $40. Pillow inserts are sold for $14.
Posted by Trisha on November 10th, 2005 in Shopping Guide, Home |
We’ll close this series with the line in the SF Gate article that we found particularly interesting. Lois Huff, senior vice president for Retail Forward, a market research firm, noted that “The idea of disposable as opposed to building a wardrobe is more popular now.”
Interesting idea, but we don’t think it’s a black and white issue. As with everything in life, there are shades of grey, and while people certainly aren’t meticulously building a static wardrobe, the average consumer is likely not replacing the entire closet each season (or every couple of seasons) with cheap chic clothes.
Our wardrobe advice? First build a solid foundation of good quality clothes. On top of that foundation, you can then have some fun with cheap chic, disposable fashion. Buy the cute, but cheap uber-cropped jacket that will last till the end of the season. Buy the slim tailored wool pants whose quality will elevate the look of everything you pair with it.
But know what to invest in and what to buy on the cheap, as that’s the key to a balanced wardrobe.
Need help? That’s what we’re here for. Leave a message, or shoot us an email at styleintelligence at gmail dot com!
Posted by Trisha on November 9th, 2005 in News |
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