Christmas Presents

My Christmas present came 5 days early this year. My husband, son and I welcomed a new addition to our family on December 20th. Ramse joined our family and has been pretty much all anyone in my family cares about for Christmas. He was born at 12:34pm weighing 7lbs 1 oz and 19 inches long. I look forward to the new year watching all the changes that he will go through in his first year of life.

Worst Dressed of 2007

I was reviewing pictures of the worst dressed for 2007 and a few thoughts came to mind so here they are.
1. Good to know that I am not the only one who has a day where you walk out of the house and then wonder "What was I thinking?"
2. Did you upset your stylist recently so that is how she gets even?
3. Someone designed that specifically for you, did they have your measurements, do they know what you look like, and that is really the best representation of their work?
4. Did you look in the mirror before you walked out the door or do you not care what anyone thinks?
5. If the second part is true, then good for you for living your life on your own terms.

Let me know what your thoughts are when you see some of the worst dressed.

First Weekend in December

Some people would think I was nuts on Saturday since it was snowing and I am due to give birth in 3 weeks but I wanted to check out Urban Craft Uprising. For safety reasons I dragged my husband along as well as my 3 year old. I ran into Tarah and Regina as well as many of our vendor friends. I loved the show. It was well put together very organized and to get in was by donation. The funny thing about the shopping was that my husband spent more money than I. I love Steel Toe Studios belts and buckles and knew that my husband would also. I believe he bought 3 leather belts and 1 buckle. We also came across Eclectikid. They make great t-shirts and bags for kids. We picked up matching shirts for the boys. As if that wasn't enough shopping, we then headed to downtown to run to Old Navy and Pacific Place. I will say that my body is paying for it today. Hope your weekend went well. Tomorrow is the first day of maternity leave and I think I can use the relaxation.

Blog, How I have missed you.

It has been awhile since I have posted anything which is more related to the fact that I have not done anything lately. I am in the final countdown until the baby is born and not really suppose to be doing much. Shopping hasn't been real exciting since I can only stand to be upright for a limited time and the idea of stopping at every restroom I can find is not very appealing. This weekend I am hoping to get to Urban Craft Uprising to check out some of the vendors and get a couple of unique gifts for the family. See you around.

Upcoming Weekend

After over a months worth of fashion weeks, our schedule is finally calming down. If you are looking for a fun, educational event, check out Crave Show at the Pike St Annex this weekend. UFN will have a booth with quite a few of our local designers selling their wares. The show also will have food, spa services, educational booths (vacations, finances, etc). This show is bound to be fun and worth the money. If you make it out, stop by and say hello. We are planning on having drawings spread throughout the weekend.

Halloween and Fashion

As people are getting ready for Halloween parties and the like, I have noticed that costumes for women seem to be quite trashy lately. What happened to dressing up as something classic like a witch or ghost? When did the standard for women's Halloween fashion become the slutty (insert character here)? If anyone has thoughts on where to find a nice tasteful costume that is not embarrassing when you get pulled over on your way to or fro that rip roaring Halloween party, let me know? Maybe the only option is to make our own costumes. This could be very scary as I have no real artistic abilities. I am a finance person by training. If it doesn't involve numbers I find it to be a challenge.

Portland Fashion Week

As I stated in my previous blog, the girls and I were in Portland last weekend to attend the Portland Fashion Week show. We were only able to attend on Saturday night due to traffic delays on Friday and I was really tired come Sunday. The show is advertised as the second longest running show on the West Coast. As such I can say they did have some things that I really liked from an organizational perspective. First the location. While I must say it was out in BFE, it was quite the interesting venue. Second, the seating concept. Each person was given a card with a row # based on what type of ticket they bought. The actual seating probably could have been smoother but in concept it was a great idea. The show itself. The designers we saw had great items. The show was thought out and well planned. My only issue was that the runway was on the floor and from where I was seated I could not see the length of pants or what shoes were paired with various items. Overall it was a lot of fun. Tonight is the last night. To see pictures from Saturday that Tarah took, look here. To see pictures of other nights check out ultrapdx

Portland - It is More Than Just Sales Tax Free Shopping

Tarah, Regina, and I headed to Portland this past weekend for Portland Fashion Week. I will follow up with a review of that in a later blog however I wanted to comment on some of the great boutique shopping Portland has to offer. On Saturday, we started out Downtown at your traditional shopping stores. I had not brought enough clothes and in my pregnant state needed to get some maternity items. After that (in the rain no less), we headed up to NW 23rd (walking).
The street is very cute and neighborhood like. Our initial mission was to get to the Sameunderneath Warehouse Clearance Sale. We each found some great items. From there we found Souchi. The items are beautiful. The owner hand looms the items in her line as well as she carries a few other designers. We talked with one of the sales people, who was very helpful and informative about other stores to check out on the street. She referred us to SeaPlane. The store carries local designer wares. There was quite a selection especially when you see the size of the store. If only I wasn't pregnant, I would instead have come back from Portland extremely poor. Regina and I checked out the Sameunderneath retail store. They have a cashmere hoody dress that I am so in love with and really want. Maybe at the end of the season since I want it as a post pregnancy item.
On Sunday, we decided to check out the Pearl District. Regina had lived in Portland about 10 years ago and said the Pearl District was definitely a lot nicer now that it was then. We roamed what seemed like the entire district. My favorite store was Bubble. The items are all from European designers. The store owner was very knowledgeable about the items that she carried. A place to check out when down south. We also had some great cupcakes from Jones Cupcakes. Tried to check out Michelle Decourcey but her store was closed due to her Spring line being shown at PFW later than night.
The trip was great. I think that in the spring after the unborn one is a little older I will have to make another trek south. This time it will be for the purchases. We are hoping to launch a Portland portion to our site sometime in 2008. We found out this weekend that there is a lot of leg work involved as they have a lot of great places and designers.

Seattle Green Fashion Week

I realize that fashion week has been over for almost a week so I apologize for the delay in posting my review. Unfortunately I was only able to attend the final evening, which was considered the grand finale. It was held at the Bell Harbor Terminal. We started with cocktails (Dry Soda for me). Next there was a silent auction. I was unaware and in turn unprepared for the silent auction. There was a great bike, some wine and some very nice pieces of jewelry. We made our way to our seats for the fashion show. This was no typical "green" fashion show. The designers included Abi Ferrin, Souchi, Anna Cohen, Pine IV, Lizzie Parker, Earth Pledge & Future Fashion, Thieves by Sonja den Elzen, Prairie Underground, Sling and Stone & Good Society, and Lara Miller. I had many favorite items however my favorite designer was Abi Ferrin. The clothes were bold colors mostly in dresses that could be used for day or evening. To see pictures of the entire show view Tarah's Blog.
This weekend we will be heading to Portland for Portland Fashion Week.

Sameunderneath Trunk Show - La Rousse

Friday night Tarah and I attended the Sameunderneath trunk show at La Rousse. The trunk show coincided with Seattle's Green Fashion Week. I did a little research before heading over and fell in love with the clothes instantly. The majority of the line is made out of bamboo which is extremely soft and a sustainable product. While at the trunk show I picked up 2 shirts. I actually found them more comfortable and longer than most maternity tops. I would definitely check out their website and order up some items or even pop into La Rousse and check it out. Sameunderneath will be participating in Portland Fashion Week October 19th - October 26th. The show is showcasing Spring/Summer 2008 and is about sustainability and fashion

Rock Concert and Fashion

Last night I attended the Chris Cornell show with my child and husband (Our family is really into music). It is pretty much the last place I expect to see anything noteworthy however last night I saw some girls dressed very stylish. The one thought that kept going through my head all night is 'When will Clinton and Stacy be coming on stage and doing a fashion intervention.' I am definitely not one to speak last night as being pregnant limits what fits let alone what I can stand to have on for a long period. Next time you attend an event with the mass public, take a look around at all the interesting styles that exist.
On a different note, I found a dress at Mimi Maternity for next weeks DIFFA party. I paid $39.99 for the dress. It was quite a steal, especially realizing I will probably only wear it once.

Neiman, Choo, & Prada - Who Could Ask for More

Bellevue Fashion Week was a couple of weeks ago and one thing that is becoming apparent quickly is that Bellevue is the high end fashion hub of the Northwest. First Neiman Marcus announced that they were coming to Bellevue. Next Jimmy Choo was announced to be putting a store in The Bravern. Now to top it off Nordstrom has decided to carry Prada at the Bellevue store. We may all ask why Bellevue, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal, eight of the ten wealthiest zip codes reside on the eastside. I will say that if I want to see the extremely high end I will trek to Bellevue and the rest of the time when I want to support local designers and boutiques I will make my way to Seattle. Bellevue may be where high end is however Seattle is a great place to check out new up and coming designers as well as great boutiques. The only question remains is, when will Manolo be joining the Bellevue crowd with its own store.

Seattle International Fashion Week (SIFW)

Regina, Tarah and I attended the Finale Show for Seattle International Fashion Week Saturday night. The event was held at EMP in the Sky Church. Admission was $50 general and $100 VIP. The VIP package included at seat along the runway as well as a gift bag (included Crave book, a bottle of wine, and some coupons for various sponsors). The doors opened at 8pm and had a no host bar. We made our way to our seats for the start of the show. The runway show included clothing from Atsui Tokyo, Arden B, Kenneth Cole, Road, MNG by Mango, Jos A Bank, Sureel Boutique, Moda Europa, and Silhouette World. Unfortunately I was unable to stay for the entire show due to my advanced state of pregnancy so we missed performances by Maryline Blackburn and April Villanueva. To see pictures of the portion of the show we attended visit Tarahs Site

Looking for a Great Deal on Shoes

Good News to anyone looking for a great bargain on a pair of shoes. DSW has opened a new store in SouthCenter. It is on SouthCenter Pkwy in the same plaza as Kohl's and Nordstrom Rack. I walked in there recently during lunchtime and really wished I could justify at least 1 or 10 more pairs of shoes. The prices were great and the selection incredible. Run, don't walk for something fabulous at a great price. At their prices you may be able to justify multiple pairs of shoes.

Budget Fashionista - I usually am not

Last night I had dinner with my toddler at The Commons in Federal Way. It was raining when we were done so we walked through the mall to where our car was parked. It cost me $52.00 to walk through the mall. First we were walking past Payless Shoes. I go in there about once every 6 months to see what they have and never leave with a thing. Last night was different. They were having a sale as well as had cute shoes in the window. I left with a pair of gray patent flats ($13.99) and a pair of black patent Mary Jane's with a kitten heel ($14.99). The price was definitely right and since most of my shoes do not fit these days I figured why not. They also had some great ankle booties as well as other boots. I definitely could have bought more. The remainder of the expense came in buying my son a pair of shoes and letting him ride the rides they put in the middle of the mall. I will say it would have been cheaper to walk in the rain but then I would have missed out on such great buys.

Bellevue Collection Fashion Week - VIP Shopping

After the Posh Party, Bellevue Square was hosting a VIP Shopping Night. The evening started at center court with desserts and coffee provided by the Hyatt. The desserts were very yummy. From there we were armed with out guide of participating merchants and $20 gift certificates and coupons and headed out. 101.5 provided music, there were drawings and mini fashion shows. There were many discounts and freebies. The participating stores included Aerosoles, Aveda Experience Center, Barcelino, Barcelino per Donna, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Beauty Works, BenBridge Jeweler, Blue Willi's, Coach, Coldwater Creek, Crabtree & Evelyn, David Lawrence, Eddie Bauer, ExOfficio, Fabri Fine Jewelry, Guess?, Helly Hansen, L'Occitane, Louie Permelia, Lucky Brand Dungarees, lucy, lululemon atletica, LUSH, Macy's, MARQSMEN, Martin + Osa, Mia and Maxx Hair Studios, Nau, New Balance, Nordstrom, Oilily, Origins, Paiva, Puma, Road, Rockport, Sephora, Shoefly, Something Silver, Sway and Cake, Timberland, TUMI, Voletta Couture, and White House Black Market. The mall was open until 10:30pm to accommodate this extra shopping.

Bellevue Collection Fashion Week - Posh Party

The second main event of the Bellevue Collection Fashion Week was Posh Party on Saturday September 15th. It was also at Fashion Axis in Bellevue. The doors opened at 6pm with quite a long line of women. This is considered the girls night out party. A portion of the proceeds from the evening were given to Susan G. Komen. The main room had food provided by Z Tejas as well as a signature cocktail that was essentially a blue margarita. Around 7pm we made our way to seats near the runway for a lowdown on fall trends as well as a fashion show.

The fall trends for 2007 are military, bold colors, gray, sweaters (dresses, coats, and novelty), metallic, and the riding look. The must haves include 3/4 sleeve coat, leather (be it a skirt, jacket or pants), fur (as an accent), pencil skirt (preferably high waisted), tweed trousers, wide leg jeans, billow sleeves, menswear look.

The fashion show contained many items that I wish I was able to fit into. My favorites were:
1. green embroidered military coat over a fitted cream sheath dress - David Lawrence
quilted and cropped black leather jacket with body hugging black dress by Dolce & Gabbana - David Lawrence
2. tan sweater coat - Macy's
3. grey belted jacket with bell sleeves, grey wool sweater dress and red and white pinstripe shirt - Guess?
4. black cardigan over hounds tooth blouse and metallic skinny pants - Macy's
black and white zip up coat over metallic silver turtleneck dress - Macy's
5. grey knit jumper over black turtleneck - Lucky Brand Dungarees
6. boucle sweater coat over wool trousers - Barcelino per Donna
7. fur trimmed leather jacket over brown slim riding pants - Barcelino per Donna
8. Diane Von Furstenberg wrap top with high waisted pencil skirt - Sway and Cake
9. 60's print scoop neck shift dress - Macy's
10. black and white psychedelic print dress with bell sleeves - Macy's
11. navy and gold metallic polka dot shift dress - Macy's.

On the seats at the show were swag bags for each attendee. The bags included Smartwater provided by Lululemon, foot rescue home spa from inSpa, frisbee from Lucy, card for free boxers from Road, jewelry cleaner from Ben Bridge, jewelry care cloth from Something Silver, metal compact mirror, 425 magazine, wrap from Rockport, coupon for Barcelino, coupon for Martin + Osa, chance to win earring from fabri, free appetizer coupon from Z' Tejas, coupon for New Balance, coupon for Territory Ahead, coupon for Rockport, coupon for Louie Permelia, coupon for a free abalone bracelet from Coldwater Creek, and coupon for a complimentary denim fitting at Lucky Brand. In addition, the attendees were invited to VIP shopping night at Bellevue Square following and given a $20 gift certificate for Bellevue Square.

Bellevue Collection Fashion Week - Nordstrom Fall Runway Show

Bellevue Fashion Week kicked off Friday September 14th with the Nordstrom Fall Runway Show. I would first like to start Kendall from Nordstrom for getting us tickets at the last minute. The evening started with the doors opening at 7pm to Axis. The room was filled with well dressed people, cocktails, appetizers and a mini boutique (courtesy of Nordstrom departments t.b.d, Savvy, and Individualist.) There were racks of clothes broken up by department and fitting rooms to try things on. This was great as a way to solve any potential fashion emergency one might be having. There were also tables inserted among the racks to showcase shoes, handbags and accessories. The mannequins were all dressed in a new line that Nordstrom started carrying in the Seattle area earlier that day, Tevrow & Chase. My favorite item in the collection was a charcoal grey turtleneck sweater dress. For accessories, Kate Spade has a great brown suede weaved handbag. It is very stylish. Donald Pliner had a pair of two tone boots. The back shaft is animal print and the front shaft is brown leather.

At around 8pm, people started making their way into the runway area. Mark Wright and Mari Schrempf kicked off the show talking about the Detlef Schrempf Foundation. Proceeds from the evening were being donated to the foundation. The lights dimmed and the show began.

The show was broken down into 10 scenes. The first scene was Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF). She is one of my favorite designers. Her looks are very classic with a trendy spin based on the designs of the fabric. The second scene was Valette. The third scene was Juicy Couture. This is not the typical sweatsuits. The clothes were very trendy and great to be worn anytime day or night. The fourth scene was Trina Turk. The fifth scene was Emerging Labels. The emerging labels included designs from Sumner and Karta. The sixth scene was Laundry by Design. The seventh scene was Girls Night Out. Girls Night Out was about pairing great items with jeans for an evening on the town or even some dresses that would make any man know the women meant business. The eighth scene was BCBG Max Azria. The ninth scene as Marc by Marc Jacobs. The tenth scene was Nanette Lepore.

The pictures are posted via the links. Each line has approximately 10 pictures. Some have a few more. Click through once they pop up.

Check out our calendar for more Fashion Week events.

Nordstrom Rack Grand Opening

Nordstrom Rack has opened a new store in Southcenter. The big day was Friday September 14th. I decided to stop by during my lunch period and it appears I was not the only person with that thought. The parking lot was absolutely full. I do not shop well at the Rack or stores that are like it. Chaos just doen't work well for me. I walked in the door and headed straight for shoes as you can tell how good of a Rack it is based on the selection of shoes. In the deisgner collection they had Coach, Cole Haan, Betsey Johnson, Taryn Rose as well as others. It was a pretty decent selection. If you are looking for some top brands at less expensive prices, Nordstrom Rack is the place to go. Also, for those of you with little girls, they have 7 jeans for $60.00 in 4-7 sizes. Maybe once the store has been around for a month I will make another attempt at the store and actually check out all they have to offer.

Fear of Boutique Shopping Overcome

Have you ever had a fear of walking into a small boutique to do some shopping? A couple of things have always scared me, one that I wouldn't be able to afford anything, two that I was not dressed well enough to be in there, and three that I would be treated like I didn't belong there. On Friday night that fear was overcome. Tarah and I decided to have a whirlwind evening and see how many events we could cram into one evening. By, the way the count is 3. We started at La Rousse Happy Hour. La Rousse is a great boutique on Virginia St. The owner is extremely pleasant and helpful. She didn't tell you something looked good just for the sake of a sell. I appreciated that. The nice thing about happy hour is that it happens every friday from 4-6, she serves wine, has music playing and has a particular theme each week for what is on sale. I was able to get a navy blue dress by "Soda Blu" that fits my oversized body as well will fit me when I reach normal size again. Next we headed to the Alexis Hotel at 1st and Madison where Atsui Tokyo was holding there grand opening. I was nervous as the stores carries designs from Japan and the japanese fashion scene is much more progressive than Seattle. Well never fear, there are some of the cutest items that I ever did see. I look forward to post maternity and going back for some of the great items they carry. The grand opening party had a dj, champagne (Dry Soda for me) and apps provided by BOKA. If you find yourself down that way, drop in you may find something you just can't live with out. From there we headed to Fremont. They were have First Fashion Night. We checked out Essenza, Dream, Bliss, Les Amis, Burnt Sugar, Horseshoe, Bellefleur, LolaPop, and Industry. All of the stores were friendly and had great deals. By his time of the evening I was quite tired as I had been up since 5am due to a business breakfast.
My recommendation for that Friday night with nothing to do, check out our event calendar, gather up a couple of friends and make the rounds. You can get a taste of many things as well as accomplish some shopping.
Remember that Bellevue Fashion Week starts on Friday. Check out the calendar for some great events. Look for UFN, if you are there as we will be attending many of the events. Last year, Tarah and I had a lot of fun attending the shows and taking advantage of the sales.

Do You La Mode?

On August 24Th, Tarah and I attended International Academy of Design & Technology's (IADT) fashion show in Renton. You may ask yourself, why Renton? For one it is a close locale for the school as they are located in Tukwila as well as the Spirit of Washington Event Center is a beautiful venue. We decided to pay the $50 for VIP access and it was well worth the money. We were seated in the first row at the end of the right side of the stage. We could see details very clearly. For pictures go to Tarah's site. The celebrity guest who also acted as the emcee's were Nick Verreos and Andrae Gonzalo from Season 2 of Project Runway. The two of them were entertaining as well as informative as they know what they are talking about when it comes to fashion. The theme of the show was "An International Evening of Fashion." The show started in Africa with Mshgnga Drummers which was a great way to set the mood. The fashion was day wear. My personal favorite was a little white dress with a red underling and little flowers around the waistline. The winner of this category (as selected by the celebrity guests) was Elizabeth Dean with her yellow shirt dress that has blood drops on the front and the back shows 1/2 a heart and 1/2 a bloody saw. The show continued on to Great Britain with some Irish Dancers. The fashion was jacket and costume designers. The detail on these items was incredible. My favorite jacket was a turquoise overcoat with a black and white print lining. The winner of this category was Ginger Bellus with her Marie Antoinette style costume. The show next moved to the Middle East. The entertainment was belly dancers and oh how I wish I could move like that. The fashion was cocktail designers. The dresses were gorgeous. Many were items I would be very happy to wear for an evening out. I had many favorites from this line however the one that really stood out to me was a dress done in peacock colors and had a train made out of peacock feathers. The dress was unique and still elegant enough to pull off at an event. The winner in this category was Jessica Keen. She called the dress "Hollly Hobbie" with bows and ribbons. The final area for the evening was Asia. The entertainment featured Sunshine Hmong Dancers. The fashion was Evening, Ballroom & Bridal Designers. I was a little disappointed that I was already married as the bridal designs were beautiful one of a kind dresses. The winner of this category was Ava Fernandes with a princess cut strapless champagne dress with grass off the bottom.
After the show, the VIP guest were invited to a cocktail hour with food and drinks and an opportunity to meet with the designers as well as the celebrity guests. We got about 30 seconds with Andrae in which we gave out our business card and grabbed a quick picture. There was also a silent auction. I would have liked to see some of the student designs up for auction. There were wedding dresses however I am a little beyond those now that I have been married 8 years. The evening was great fun and an opportunity to see what tomorrows designers are doing.

Down Under Spa - Tacoma

This is may not seem fashion related but I guess that depends on how you look at it. My esthetician recently opened her own limited services spa in Downtown Tacoma. The name of the place is Down Under. The space is cute and trendy and has a hair salon upstairs. She specializes in professional skin care and waxing. If you are looking for a quick yet clean wax, Crystal is the one to see. She can have a Brazilian done in around 1/2 hour. Her facials are very relaxing. She has been open a little over a week and is already looking at adding some additional services. You can book services with her via downunderspa.beautybyus.com or call 253.503.6631. The spa is located in the alley of S 24th St and Pacific Ave.

Kimberly Baker Jewelry in In Style Magazine

Kimberly Baker has a pair of earrings on page 286 of the September issue of In Style magazine under the section "Fab Finds for under $100." Always good to see a local designer receiving national recognition. My understanding is that once something shows up in In Style magazine it is sold out within a month. If you want a pair of the ultra cool sterling silver earrings, you better act fast. Kudos to Kimberly Baker.

Return of the Tailor

Fall '07 is bringing back the tailored look and it seems not too soon. We are seeing structured suits and high waisted wide leg pants. This is a dramatic change from the ultra low rise pants that drag on the floor. So you may be one of those people who no matter what the regular length pants are always too long. There are a couple of solutions to this problem. First, look for brands that carry pants in a variety of lengths for example The Gap and Banana Republic. Second, shop at locations that provide alterations such as Nordstrom or Macy's, and finally if all else fails take your pants to the local cleaners. They are usually more than happy to make alterations (for a fee of course). So instead of a pair of pants dragging on the ground and looking like you have been wearing them for over a year when in reality you only wore them once, raise the hem to have them line appropriately with the shoes you are wearing and your pants can look fresh for many wears to come.

Local Designer/Boutique Makes it Big

Last week the Seattle Times ran an article "What's worn beneath surfaces at Nordstrom." The article highlighted Zovo lingerie and the fact that it will be carried in the Seattle and Bellevue Nordstrom for a trial. The lingerie is currently sold at Zovo Lingerie in University Village as well as high end boutiques nationwide. It seems to me to be a big deal that she has now gotten her line into a national high end department store. Bravo for Victoria Roberts and Zovo Lingerie. To read the article go to http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=zovo16&date=20070816&query=zovo+

What Happens in Vegas, Need Not Always Stay in Vegas!

This past weekend I went to Las Vegas for a friends birthday and to see a concert. Most people's trip to Las Vegas consists of sitting at the pool or sleeping by day and partying or seeing a show by night, that is not my idea of Las Vegas. I love the shopping. If you haven't been before, let me say, the shopping is amazing. Each hotel on the strip has some form of shopping, the best in my opinion, is Bellagio, Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, and the Venetian. I have yet to make it to Wynn Hotel. Another great place is Fashion Show Mall.

I started the shopping at Fashion Show Mall. They have a Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillards, and Neiman Marcus as the anchor stores. The mall is like getting lost in a Casino. You will see everything from the Gap to Betsey Johnson. The better part of a day or if you are like me an entire day can be spent there. The only purchase I made was at Schechers for practical purposes, my feet hurt. Being pregnant in 100+ temperatures does not bode well for the feet. After a rest and some dinner I headed to the Forum Shops. My first stop was Jimmy Choo. I thought I would try on some shoes. I did and a cute pair of black suede falts became mine when I put them on and thought I had slippers on. I avoided clothing stores as they make me cry since nothing fits me at this point. You name, Forum shops pretty much has it. I stopped by Kate Spade. They had some great handbags as well as numerous sale items. Unfortunately I didn't come across anything I couldn't live without and as stated earlier I already bought a pair of Jimmy Choo's.

Based on the real purpose of the trip, those were the only places I go this trip. As a side note, Las Vegas is a great place to people watch and get fashion ideas. You will see all types of styles as well as many non styles. The nightlife really brings out some great items as well as some really short items.

How does one know what the "new black" is?

Have you ever wondered how colors other than black are the "new black"? Think about this practically. Black is classic and versatile, not all colors can say that. When I see "Red is the New Black" I think to myself really. If I wanted to wear black and green together but decide on red in place of black, one word goes through my head, Christmas. Brown, gray and white could claim to be the "new black" as they also show signs of being classic and versatile and can pretty much be substituted anytime you would want to wear black. So instead of everyone calling a color the "new black" how about calling it the hot color for the season.
Here comes another issues related to what is the "new black." What is the best source for determining the information. In the last month alone I have seen falls "new black" defined as three different colors. Nordstrom thinks it is gray, In Style magazine thinks that it is white, and Newport News thinks that it is red. Anyother time I would probably believe In Style magazine but I am not sure white makes a great fall color. For Fall '07, I am going with Nordstrom's opinion and choosing, gray as this seasons hot, versatile color. To see some great examples check out my article "Trends for Fall" at www.urbanfashionnetwork.com anytime after August 22nd.
Talking about Urban Fashion Network.com, the site is going live on August 22nd with a launch party at the W Hotel in Downtown Seattle. We have partnered with DIFFA and their kickoff of "Party at the Mansion" that will be in October. For more information go to www.urbanfashionnetwork.blogspot.com

U Village Sale

Shop to Make a Difference – May 18-20
Purchase a 20/20 for $20 and receive 20% off at participating stores and restaurants May 18-20. Every dollar goes directly to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to further their quest to cure cancer! Cards can be purchased at participating retailers, check back for a complete listing of participants.

Shop 07

On Monday May 14th, I attended the first ever Shop/07 put on by CraveParty. The purpose of the day was to bring together boutique owners and learn what others in the industry were doing. The day was set up with several panel discussions. It was insightful and at the same time could reassure you of what you were doing right or wrong.
The first panel of the day was "How does your market grow". The panelist included Luly Yang, Fran Bigelow, and Allison Olsen. The three discussed what it is they do, how they got to where they are today and strategies for success. One theme became very clear, Stay true to your vision and yourself. Logically, duh but really thinking about it becomes something harder to apply. It is easy to see what others are doing and try to emulate them however to be successful you must remember why you are in the market you are in and what strategies you decided to employ.
The second panel was "Promotions". The panelist included Victoria Roberts, Lisa Myers, and Karen Lorene. The main concept was to use promotions and events strategically. You do not want to be held in the same regard as Macy's and the One Day Sale. (Honestly, when aren't they having a one day sale). Promotions can differentiate you from others and draw customers in for different reasons such as rewarding the loyal customers or even clearing out inventory.
I skipped the next panel and took a long lunch since the tourist industry just doesn't do it for me.
In the afternoon session, there were breakout sessions. I chose to attend sessions related to the internet. The first was regarding what type of website do you have whether it be informational or e-commerce. It was an interesting discussion on which way to go. The second was related to e-newsletters and emailing customers. The theme that resonated here was similar to promotions, don't overdo it. When sending out a e-newsletter make sure that you have something to say to your customers that they will find of value specifically latest offerings, sales, specials, events, etc.
The final panel was Press Release Straight from the horses mouth. The panel was interesting related to getting PR with Daily Candy (Jasmine Moir), Seattle Magazine (Shannon Borg), and the Seattle Times (Monica Soto Ouchi). Each have their own style as far as contacting them, what they are looking for, lead times, etc. A person from the industry who handles PR would have been nice to learn what styles they use that are successful and what has been complete flops.
Overall it was a great day. Melody Biringer put on a great conference with some very informative speakers. Not bad for coming up with the idea 4 months ago.

NYC Shopping

Recently I spent 3 days in NY for a business conference. Being the hardcore shopper that I am, I definately found time for some shopping. This wasn't my first trip to NY so I feel a little like a native when I am there. I know exactly where I want to go and what I want and don't want to see. I no longer need to see Rockefeller Center, NBC, Radio City Music Hall, etc. What I do want to see is lots of stores. As such, I have a small little rant. Tourist in Manhattan can be so annoying. They travel in packs, move at their own pace (slow) and stop right in the middle of a walk way. It does not bode well for natives or hard core shoppers. There is a lot to see and typically not much time.
Imagine all the top designers in one place. That place is Sak's 5th Ave. While the people working there are not particularly helpful, you will find whatever designer or item you might be looking for all under one roof. I saw Jimmy Choo shoes, Nanette Lepore dresses, and Prada handbags. It was like dying and going to heaven. Of course, reality sank in real quick when I look at the price tags. As my mother always said, if you must ask the price, you can't afford it.
Another great place to check out if the Tiffany's on 5th Ave. The store covers several floors and the jewelry is broken out by silver, wedding, childrens, etc. It makes the Seattle store look like a boutique. I think that it is the largest one that I have been in and I have been into Tiffany's in several cities.
For practical shopping and great bargains there are two stores that have very fashionable items at very reasonable prices, H M and Zara. They each have a couple of locations throughout midtown. H M has every type of item. I bought a great basic t-shirt for $5.90. It was a thick soft cotton. The only issue with their clothes is that you need to try things on as the items run small. Zara is very similar. There are a couple of things that I like about Zara more than H M, first there is a Zara in Vancouver, BC. I think the closest H M is in California. The second thing about Zara is that they have a classic line which includes items that are suitable for work. The prices are reasonable however their items also run small.
Just an item to note, is that there are several Gap and Banana Republic located in Midtown. You would think that they are the Starbucks of shopping.
I didn't get a chance to venture into some of the trendy neighborhoods but that just gives me a reason to go back at a later date.