Green the Red Carpet Sip & Swap

Amy of Punkystyle was kind enough to alert me to this fun clothing swap that will be taking place in L.A. on Saturday February 26, so mark your calendars and save the date. Flaunt your eco-chic side by swapping out all those NWT, like-new and gently worn dresses, separates, denim, handbags, shoes & jewelry at a fun night of retail therapy meets recycling with America's favorite clothing swap hostesses, The Swapaholics.

Amy Chase & Melissa Massello, who together are known as “The Swapaholics,” are heading to L.A. to host a “Green the Red Carpet” clothing and accessories swap at Catchlight Studios in West Hollywood, sponsored by Freixenet.

Here's how it works: Admission is $20 and participants are asked to bring a bag of gently loved clothing, accessories, shoes and evening wear (it’s Oscar time, after all) to drop off by 7:30pm. Amy, Melissa, & their team will then curate a “swap boutique” and at 8pm sharp, the doors will open for women to swap ‘til they drop and scour the racks for new finds. Bring a bag full of all those like-new and gently worn clothes, shoes, accessories, handbags & jewelry just taking up space in your closet and trade them in for a new bag full of fashionable finds from your fellow stylish Angelenos.

Here is a summary of the event details:

Where: Catchlight Studios 633 N. La Brea Ave (at Melrose), West Hollywood, CA 90036
When: Saturday Feb. 26, 2011. Press & Blogger Preview: 6 p.m. Clothing Drop-Off: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Swap: 8 p.m.

Use the code SWAPLOVE for a special $5 discount. Get your tickets here.

9 Looks from Target's GO International Designer Collective

When news broke in late October that Target would be celebrating the five-year anniversary of its GO International program with a collection featuring 34 dresses from 17 past GO International designers, I felt a tinge of excitement with the knowledge that I'd be able to get a few dresses I previously missed out on. In my head, I envisioned the dresses that I'd want Target to make available again: the popular Rodarte sequin ribcage dress, the Zac Posen safety pin print gown, the Erin Fetherston Peter Pan collar dresses (all of them!), the Jovovich-Hawk floral, lurex chiffon, and crosshatch print dresses, and the Richard Chai blue rose print dress. Unfortunately, most of these dresses aren't part of Target's Limited Edition Collective, which will be available March 13 through April 10. I'm curious as to how and why the 34 dresses were chosen, because they don't seem to be based upon popularity.

At any rate, I've chosen 9 of my best picks out of the 34. Most of them are as on-trend today as they were when originally released, especially the Libertine striped tunic (very Prada spring 2011), the Jovovich-Hawk floral dress and the Tracy Feith hibiscus print dress (so perfect for the 1970s trend this spring), the Thakoon colorblock dress, and the Erin Fetherston bunny print dress (which calls to mind the unforgettable cat and bird-adorned Miu Miu spring 2010 collection). I also love the updated styling in the look book, which makes use of belts and shoes that are currently available at Target.

images via target.com

V is for Valentine's Day

I'm generally not one to get excited about holidays or publish gift guides, particularly for an overhyped, highly commercialized day such as Valentine's Day, but in case you're in need of some Valentine's Day outfit inspiration, I found some romantic and red-adorned window displays. Unfortunately for the dozens of PR specialists that have been pitching me jewelry ideas since early December, there won't be any jewelry stories here. Ditto for chocolates, romantic getaways, lingerie, red dresses, flowers, date night apps, or anything else remotely Valentine's Day-themed. So whether you're single or hitched, why not consider treating yourself to something new and stylish? Shoes are always a good bet for me, and the red and black pairs in the last two photos are quite tempting...

The Texture Mix

The theme that unites my latest batch of store window photos is texture. While I typically find myself drawn to prints, texture is another one of my favorite ways to add visual interest, especially during the fall and winter months. Although the past few days have seen warm, summery temperatures, I'm still holding out hope that I'll be able to layer knits over sequins, faux fur over chiffon, feathers with velvet, and leather with lace before it's officially spring.

Shopping at the Greige Market Pop-Up

I joined forces with Sarah once again to attend the opening night party for the Greige Market Pop-Up shop on La Brea in L.A. We sipped coconut water and browsed gorgeous printed dresses by BB Dakota, colorful designs by Custo Barcelona, super soft skinny denim, eco-friendly tops for men, unique bow ties by Tycoon Neckwear, tees by KRMA, jeans by Them denim, printed maxi dresses by Manoush, and lots of on-trend clothing by friendly independent designers. Any event with upbeat music, affordable clothing, great people watching, and refreshments is always a draw for me.

If you haven't been to the Greige Market yet, there is still time left to shop. Hours for Saturday (today) are from noon to 10 pm and Sunday from noon to 6pm. It's located at 151 S. La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, 90036.

Mariel and Mary Jane

Many of you may not know that I have a twin sister. She is about six minutes younger, and her birth was a complete surprise to both my parents and the doctor. As the story goes, after I was born, the doctor remarked that he thought "there was another one in there" and asked my father to leave the room. My dad recalls hearing this and seeing the room spin. To this day, I don't think we look alike, but when we're together, people always ask us if we're sisters at first glance. Likewise, at first glance, the two pairs of shoes in the photo below may appear to be similar. They both have five inch heels and floral prints, but that's where the similarities end. Upon closer inspection, one pair is a slingback wedge, while the other is a platform, block heel Mary Jane. Do they look alike?

OK, so I have a confession to make. That's not me posing with my twin in the photo above, it's just me and some Photoshop editing (but perhaps you knew that). My sister is actually my fraternal twin, she stands a bit shorter than myself, and her hair is much longer and wavier. Oh yeah, and she never wears five inch heels!

Jeffrey Campbell floral Mariel wedge

Forever 21 floral Mary Jane platforms

Shop the Greige Market Pop-Up Shop This Weekend

Those of you in the L.A. area might be interested in this shopping event. Located in the heart of La Brea Ave., Greige Market will transform a 3,500 square foot space into an innovative boutique adjacent to American Rag.

Set for February 4-6th, Greige Market will welcome 1500+ consumers for a three day shopping experience, with scheduled personal appearances and fashion “How To” presentations, new product demonstrations, and sampling with a lounge area where friends can relax and socialize throughout the day in a hip and cutting edge environment. Absolute Vodka has partnered with popular fashion bloggers, Tuesday Simon and Jae Joseph to host the opening night party.

The pop-up shop will include top-of-the-line items carefully curated to include known brands and new discoveries, including: Valentino, Chanel, Fluxus, Custo Barcelona, Alexander Mcqueen,Society for Rational Dress, and dozens more. The opening night party will include a personal appearance by artist Tyler Shields.

At Home

And now for a rare and perhaps unexpected peek inside my humble abode. About five years ago, I developed an interest in interior design and I began watching HGTV in search of knowledge and inspiration. I soon learned that I favored light, cool color palettes and ultra feminine shabby chic pieces. At home, I have a mix of items found at local antique and furniture stores combined with myriad pieces from Target (lamps, side tables, candy dishes, bedding, etc.). Below, I've photographed a few of my favorite things, including lots of floral items from the Liberty of London for Target collection, an antique teacup, a bed in the guest bedroom, some of my framed travel photography, and a cluster of my favorite winter shoes. (If this post generates your interest, I may follow it up with another one, so feel free to comment and share your design opinions.)

Take a Peek at H&M's Spring 2011 Trends

I always enjoy watching the H&M styling videos that Barracuda Film & TV sends me, in which they preview next season's trends, discuss design inspiration, and give us a fun peek at what will be in H&M stores soon. In the first video, ex-model, stylist, and blogger Hanneli Mustaparta styles a model in four trendy spring/summer looks, and in the second video, Ann-Sofie Johansson (Head of Design at H&M), Stacey Duguid (Executive Fashion Editor at Elle UK), and Jay Thompson (Executive Fashion Editor at InStyle) discuss color blocking and color trends, spring fabrics, mixing and matching, sporty influences, and fluid looks from the 1960s and 1970s. Enjoy!