shopbop shoptalk

California Designing: Elle Spotlights L.A. Labels

The phrase “L.A. fashion” often conjures up images of boho-chic sun goddesses in flowing maxi dresses covering teeny bikinis. While this easy look has made it into the closets of Northern lasses via the bright prints of T-Bags dresses and the airy silhouettes of Rachel Pally tops, some California-based designers transcend their sun-and-surf roots. Internationally minded, they create designs that even the most dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker can appreciate. Elle’s November issue profiles these up-and-comers, including two Shopbop favorites, Rory Beca and LD Tuttle.

Designer Rory Edelman of Rory Beca creates pieces that are everyday wearable yet anything but ordinary. Beca’s big break came when a stylist accessorized the Friends cast with her hand-knit scarves; this led to a full collection inspired by unique fabrics she discovers on world travels. Elisabeth Moss recently donned a turquoise Rory Beca frock for a Mad Men premiere, and this season sees Edelman adding more red-carpet-worthy dresses to her lineup.

Baklava breaks, camping trips on the beach, chats on Skype with Italian manufacturers: LD Tuttle designer Tiffany Tuttle makes the life of an L.A. designer sound tough to beat. She shares studio and showroom space with two other designers and collaborators to counter the isolation of L.A.’s urban sprawl, but her experience extends beyond the Pacific coast: she worked at Givenchy in Paris, designed for Rebecca Taylor in N.Y.C., and studied shoemaking in Milan. This pedigree offers a European flair that has made other designers take notice: LD Tuttle shoes were spotted on the Erin Wasson X RVCA and VPL spring runways.

--Tonya

Stylecaster & Shopbop’s Fly By Night Video: An Insider’s Take

It’s a Saturday night ritual every fashionable femme performs: you and your friends get together and try on your entire closet in preparation for girls’ night out. But what if you are model Poppy Delevingne with a closetful of the latest Pencey and Siwy, and Shopbop Fashion Director Kate Ciepluch is right there to style you? Our latest video—a short film made in collaboration with Stylecaster—documents this fashion dream, and here, Kate takes us behind the scenes.

Suzanne: This video is a first for Shopbop—not just a trend or denim fit guide, but a cool mini-movie complete with a soundtrack. Tell me about the Fly By Night concept and how the collaboration with Pencey and Siwy came about.

Kate: Our goal was to provide our customers with a scenario they could relate to—multiple girls deciding what to wear followed by a night out in NYC, which is not complete without a run-in with an unrelenting bouncer and live music, things my friends and I regularly experience.

We were going for a fun/playful vibe based on an indie rock soundtrack and a Lower East Side setting. I wanted to bring on designers whose aesthetics mixed exceptional eye-catching pieces with low-key, casual looks, and also worked well when styled together. Pencey’s holiday collection immediately came to mind. Styles include this season’s sought after faux fur leopard coat, a flirty ruffle dress in a vibrant animal print, and cool subtle styles: black lace leggings, drapey blazers, and awesome graphic tees. We wanted a denim line to complement Pencey’s collection. Cut to Siwy’s holiday line, which has everything from your basic dark-wash, everyday denim to red sequined skinnies. Christina Minasian (Pencey’s Creative Director) and I put together multiple looks for the girls to try on, as well as their ultimate hit-the-street ensembles.

S: The video features It girls Poppy Delevingne and Isabelle McNally, Piano’s bar, and a few irresistibly cute NYC boys. Tell me about the locations and how you chose the cast.

K: We wanted to feature girls with a great fashion sense who had different looks, and settled on these personalities—a blonde and a brunette, a long and lean frame and a cute, petite figure. Piano’s is the perfect destination in a great area in NYC. It has a chill bar in front and an upbeat music room that blares rock and roll in the back. I frequent this spot myself; it’s always a great time and boasts an impressive up-and-coming indie-rock lineup.

S: Despite the talent, this video’s real star has gotta be those rock-star red sequined Siwy leggings! At first they seem a bit intimidating, but Poppy makes them look so cool and wearable. What’s your advice for styling them?

K: The red sequin leggings provide killer fashion that can be overwhelming if not toned down a bit. We thought the faded black vintage-esque Pencey tee and sophisticated black blazer were on-point with the screaming leggings. The glimmering silver chain necklace pulls the top and bottom together and looks perfect on Poppy because of her natural, not-much-makeup-needed beauty and her girly platinum hair.

S: Will there be more videos like this, a part two perhaps?

K: Definitely! Please stay tuned, we have some wild things in the works.

S: And finally, when you’re going out with your girls to watch a live band on the LES, what are you wearing?

K: I am a boot fanatic and flat boots are a must when standing on your feet and enjoying music. Lately I have been wearing my go-to Golden Goose boots with cool sheer patterned tights, a T-shirt dress, and a leather jacket. Lots of chunky rings and necklaces are my favorite night-out accessories.

--Suzanne

First Fashion: New Arrivals from Charlotte Ronson

The wartime heroine and downtown ballerina muses of Charlotte Ronson ’s fall 2009 and spring 2010 runway shows made her catwalk one of my favorites. While these two may seem like style extremes, Ronson makes them hip and wearable, seamlessly mixing and matching the masculine and the feminine. I’ll take a cue from Ronson’s styling and pair scrunched mesh leggings and a wrap skirt or leather shorts with the latest offerings from her holiday collection.
	A classic menswear style updated with feminine wiles, the unexpected cutout elbows, faux leather buttons, and faux leather piping make for one sexy lumberjack. Charlotte Ronson - Plaid Flannel Shirt with Cutout Elbows
	My main objective at this time of year is to look chic in the chill. Sequins and shoulder cutouts turn up the heat on a cozy crew-neck sweater. Charlotte Ronson - Cutout Long Sleeve Sweater
	Offset this top’s boho breezy look with a cocoon cardigan or shrug in a luxe knit. Charlotte Ronson – Draped Top with Cutout Sleeves
From the runway to Shopbop, find the absolute latest from your favorites in What’s New. --Suzanne

How to Wear Sequined Leggings

 
Fashion’s taken a turn for the flashy lately (witness the Balmain and Givenchy fall 2009 runways), and frankly, I’m all for it. The sartorial equivalent of dancing your pants off to Donna Summer’s Greatest Hits, I’m convinced a little glitz is good for the soul. Take sequined leggings for example. They say: Let’s stop taking personal style so seriously for a moment and belt out “Bad Girls” at the top of our lungs.

I’m not going to lie to you: pants with allover sequins are, in the words of the venerable Tim Gunn, “a lot of look.” The key to pulling them off is to think of them as exceptionally shiny skinny jeans, or an amped-up version of latex leggings, and go from there. Styling these silver Alice + Olivia numbers with a Theory blazer, a vintage concert tee, and Alexander Wang choked pumps makes the look more downtown rocker, less roller disco.

Be warned: it’s a bit of a letdown to go back to leggings crafted from non-reflective materials after a night in these. Which has me wondering: Could I get away with a black sequined pair for day if I wore it with a sweater coat and booties? (See Amie’s post for more tips on how to wear sequins for day.)

--Maureen

Into The Bright Life with M Missoni

 

In the wrong hands, colorful crewnecks can easily turn into a pop culture punchline. (I’m looking at you, Cosby sweater.) But vibrant, fine Italian knits from a storied fashion house have quite the opposite effect, evoking enviable images of a Mediterranean goddess like Margherita Missoni performing her It-girl duties in an iconic wave stripe sweater dress.
 
Margherita’s grandparents, Tai and Rosita Missoni, probably didn’t realize they’d be revolutionizing knitwear when they opened a small artisanal workshop in Gallarate, Italy, in 1953. But their innovative, signature patterns—zigzags, waves, flames—in a kaleidoscope of colors added an electric new dimension to mixing and matching that quickly caught the eye of top fashion editors worldwide. Today, a Missoni scarf or silk M Missoni caftan is the epitome of luxe retro-chic. This season sees not only the brand’s unmistakable patterns in rich earthy tones and sunrise shades, but also a fierce new print: a funky safari swirl of black, lime, and fuchsia animal stripes.

--Suzanne

How to Wear Fall’s Dramatic Vests

 
Have you noticed all the leather, feather, and faux fur vests around town lately? Bill Cunningham has. This week he paid homage to them in his NYT street style video feature. As my beloved Bill points out (in his characteristically enchanted-yet-baffled running commentary), not only are dramatic vests the soul of edgy-boho, erstwhile-girlfriend-of-a-Rolling-Stone-circa-1973 style, they’re also a surprisingly practical alternative to the more expected coat. You game? Me too.

Taking my styling cues from the lucky ladies Bill singled out with his lens, I’m layering Rebecca Taylor’s faux fur vest over a sweet print dress, and pairing a big, blanket-y, knit shawl-style piece (the one above is from Shopbop newcomer Falls knitwear) with a jersey maxi dress and loads of jewelry for a sort of haute elementary school art teacher look.

And for the ultimate in nouveau Anita Pallenberg style, I turn to this major Mongolian lambswool number (above left) from Haute Hippie. An investment? Sure. But a justified one in my book. Just imagine what a signature piece like this could do for otherwise pedestrian basics (Sale leggings? I’m talking to you.), or what a worthy partner it make for a silk jumpsuit.

--Maureen

Winter Trends: High Fashion in Low Temps

Winter. A time for both piling on the layers and giving the teeniest party dresses time to shine. So how to look fashion-forward while bundling up and dressing up? Find loads of styling inspiration in Shopbop’s Winter Trends feature.

The season’s best daywear is a little rough around the edges. Think flannel dresses and faux fur accents, distressed denim and over-the-knee boots, army canvas and chunky knits: Shopbop’s stylists show how to give plaid a little sex appeal, and make rustic layers look decidedly put-together.

And let’s not forget about that most important layer. Though black wool coats are a wardrobe staple, this season uncommon outerwear is coming into its own. Cheetah and zebra, polished plaid and cashmere capes–these styles stand alone.

But because layers won’t cut it at festive fetes, it’s also crucial to find a party look that suits your style. Do you love the lamé of Studio 54-inspired ’70s fashion, or adore the elegant, glamorous styles that take their cue from the bright lights of the big city? Or are you in the mood for something vibrant and vivacious, a jewel-toned mini dress accessorized with tights, black booties, and layers of rhinestone and tangled chain necklaces? Ring in the new decade with something perfect for your personality.

But don’t let the compliments you’ll be getting distract you from the gifts you should be giving. After a walk through Winter Trends, find something for all the good girls on your list (and everyone else) in the Gift Guide.

Tonya

New from Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent

When a new collection from Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent arrives at the Shopbop offices, I can’t help but think it looks a lot like the contents of my dream closet. Cynthia Vincent’s design philosophy is to make sexy yet comfortable clothes that she herself wants to wear, and luckily they’re just the clothes a lot of other women want to wear, too. Feminine yet unfussy, wearable yet special, they’re the pieces that turn into wardrobe favorites. So it’s time to get my head out of the clouds and make my dream closet a reality, with a few pieces from the holiday collection that will take me from day to night.
	Day: The delicate print on this soft silk blouse, along with the graceful silhouette, adds a touch of elegance to a pair of skinny jeans. Ballet flats and understated earrings by Gorjana jewelry finish the look.
	Evening: For a date night or holiday dinner, this frock gives a subtle nod to the season in festive scarlet or emerald, and the waist-cinching silhouette gives it the flattering fit Twelfth St. dresses are known for. I’ll keep the accessories simple, just adding a studded clutch (this one from Diane von Furstenberg is more sweet than edgy) and black pumps.
	Night Out: A simple LBD at first glance, this dress reveals its sexy side with a studded strap and a flirtatious open back. Booties accented with serious hardware and a wristful of mixed-metal bangles accentuate this slinky style’s hard edge.
--Tonya

The Little White Dress

Fashion deep-thought du jour: Evolving your personal style means heeding your inner directive, even if (especially if) it’s leading toward something that seems completely out of synch with what you usually wear. Case in point: the white dress. Like most women who talk/write/think about clothes all day, I have a closet dominated by shades of black, nonetheless, an eggshell vintage sundress was the runaway hit of my summer wardrobe. It had that WASP-bohemian/Gwyneth Paltrow/Montauk vibe—lovely, but definitely not my go-to look. Still, as is so often the case in matters of the heart, I couldn’t deny how it made me feel: breezy, happy in that unfettered way cerebral, obsessive types rarely experience. I found myself reaching for it at least once a week.

So began my love affair with the Little White Dress. Since it’s well past sundress season, I’ve moved on to ivory evening looks, screening candidates for holiday parties. I fell for the Alexander Wang and the Thakoon at NYFW last February, and the metallic embroidery on this off-off-white IRO dress gives it that off-kilter glamour I can’t get enough of. (Have you heard of IRO? It’s this great French line that seems to fly just under the radar.)

But as we all know, the actual piece is but a small part of the equation. How you style something is what makes it personal. I’d add my signature by wearing these white numbers with a boyfriend blazer (with the sleeves pushed up), black Falke tights, and Elizabeth and James booties.

--Maureen

What to Wear to a Holiday Party

Your analytical left brain may be pleased when you pick up a versatile jersey dress, functional flat boots, or perfect-fit jeans, but your artistic right brain is delighted when given a task like shopping for a holiday party. Jewel-toned and embellished dresses, glam clutches, metallic booties, satin pumps, and baubles bedecked with rhinestones, pearls, or studs (or all of the above), have you starry-eyed and sneaking peeks at Shopbop when your rational mind should be planted firmly in the office. Making those surreptitious glances that much easier (and offering that all-important flicker of inspiration), Shopbop’s Shop by Occasion: Holiday Party feature picks the cream of the festive crop.

After all, a girl needs options: what you’d wear to a champagne-fueled shindig with your besties is decidedly different from what you’d don for the office party. So if that body-hugging Alice + Olivia dress is perfect for a New Year’s blowout but won’t quite pass your company’s dress code, move beyond the fallback frock: try a tux-inspired jumpsuit (like this one from Tibi) or romper (pictured, by Karina Grimaldi), or a slim blouse paired with satin shorts and patterned tights or sequined harem pants.

--Tonya