Milwaukee Boutique of the Month: Flaire Boutique

I had the honor to become a part of a competition that I heard about from school called "Style Trial".

The host and creator is Jenna Shultz who happens to own the boutique that sponsored the event.

The boutique itself is called Flaire. Before I was a part of that event I didn't even know this boutique even existed. I was shocked that living and going to school in Milwaukee no one had really even mentioned it to me. That being said it's good to know about every little hidden gem in the city.

Every boutique in Milwaukee has its niche and the thing I like about Flaire boutique is that their style to me is more laid back, casual and edgy. There you'll find pieces that are classic, simple and some bohemian like pieces. The sophistication of the boutique in itself gives a more downtown chic vibe and is aimed at a more mature clientele. The rarest thing about this boutique is that it is one of the only local boutiques that carry men's clothing as well as women's. Trust me I've traveled all over the Milwaukee area looking for boutiques downtown and out of the area and Men's boutiques are more rare then men actually looking for them.

The boutique is fairly small in size so you don't really have to worry about it being cluttered or not enough space. They carry everything pretty much from jeans to handbags, from dresses to belts, it's pretty much all there. Some popular lines Flaire carries are Winter Kate by Nicole Richie,  Lauren Merkin, William Rast, Kooba, and Fifteen-Twenty to only name a few. 

Here's a 5 pieces to die for from their online shop

*click on the name of the piece to get redirected to their website with more information about it

 

L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani Leather Jacket

I absolutely love the neckline and the color white. The detailing of the criss-cross and hardwear give it a punk edgy vibe but it fit in with the winter trend of light and tough.

Retails for $540.00

definitely have to dig deep but I'm sure well worth the money

K. Allyn Off Shoulder Tee

 If you're looking for a simple LBD this winter long sleeved and able to wear with a nice pair of tights and neatly accessorized you'd look glam in no time.

Originally Retails for $88.00 but reduced to $38.00 

Now that's a deal!

Left on Houston Premium Cape

I honestly all season have been looking for a nice cape and this one would probably run in the ranks of the one I would buy unfortunately for me money is a little tight right now but if that wasn't the case this would be a good choice. It's nice and loose and looks like you'd stay warm and look chic all winter.

Retails for $189.00

213 Rhinestone Mix Necklace

As you all know or the ones that personally do know me. I'm a huge fan of statement necklaces. This is a great piece that you can wear on a casual day with just a t-shirt or dress up a night on the town look. It looks very elegant and easily could go with many different pieces because of its muted colors.

Retails for $75.00

Not too shabby!

 

Pour La Victoire Nina Tote

Honestly when I saw this bag I was like omg I need to get it! I love studded detailing and the edgyness of the bag but also the fact that it would go perfectly with romantic drapey styles that I love! This bag looks like it can endure a lot but maybe it's just because it looks so tough.

Retails for $497.00

Start Saving!

Flaire always has a bunch of events,sales or deals going on so make sure to check out their site at 

www.shopflaire.com

There you can actually look through the merchandise, online shop and view their own personal blog as well. 

Stop in and shop anytime their hours are

Tues.-Thurs. 11am-7pm

Fri-Sat. 11am-5pm

Sun. 12pm-4pm

They're located in the Third Ward on 407 E Buffalo Street

If you have any questions most of their contact info is on their website so feel free to ask them.

Label Whore: Rachel by Rachel Roy

One of my favorite labels right now that I absolutely adore is Rachel by Rachel Roy. Rachel by Rachel Roy is available at Macy's everywhere. The reason why I love the line is because her styles vary and can be versatile when it comes down to it. From season to season ever since her label has been out I've checked out her pieces. Most of her pieces are extremely colorful and full of life. She works very well with patterns and prints and incorporates one type of fabric into many different types of designs and styles. Another plus about this line is that the sizes range from XXS to XL and dress sizes 0-14 which makes it more marketable towards average sized women and possibly plus size friendly. 

SPRING/SUMMER 2010 RUNWAY

FALL/WINTER 2010 RUNWAY

The ultimate goal that I think Rachel Roy wants to achieve in her designs is that she wants to allow a woman to be sexy but also embody a powerful state of mind while wearing her pieces. She allows women to play with pieces from her line and give them personality. It takes a lot of confidence to pull of her pieces because they can be very ornate or very dramatic pieces. 

She doesn't only just design clothes for Macy's but also jewelry, handbags, and shoes. Personally I am a huge fan of all of them. The quality is great for the price you're paying for. The price range for most of her designs are from $30.00 to about $200.00 depending on the pieces. I own a few of her pieces and am in love with them. In a way I feel like they give my closet some kind of life and color.

Rachel by Rachel Roy FALL/WINTER 2009

Rachel by Rachel Roy FALL/WINTER 2009

You can get a good idea of what type of designer she is from just looking at these few pieces. You can tell the difference between her actual runway line and her mainstream line. But either way they clothes are beautifully made and fun to wear!

Here's a few pieces that I personally own 

Graffiti Print from her Fall/Winter Debut Collection (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

Black Dress with knot from her 2010 Spring/Summer collection (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

Black Draped Coin Dress from her 2010 Fall/Winter Collection (Available at local stores)

Painted Top from her Fall/Winter 2010 collection (Available at local stores)

Due to Copyright Issues I am just going to post links to some of my favorite pieces from her most recent collection

Scarf Illusion Dress

Jawbreaker Dress 

Sergeant Waistcoat Jacket

Embellished Boyfriend Blazer

Candy Blouse

To checkout more of Rachel by Rachel Roy's items simply click on

www.rachelroy.com

and all of her latest items will be available for purchase.

Also definitely checkout her runway collections they're amazing!

HAVE A GREAT DAY! ANOTHER BLOG ANOTHER DAY! :)

My 3 Favorite Blazers at the Moment!

I feel like every staple every woman needs in her closet is a nice blazer. 

It's so rare to find a really nice blazer that you'll love and be in love with or you can wear with various outfits. The classic black blazer is obviously the most essential piece in everyones wardrobe, male or female doesn't matter. Some females can wear some male's blazers and vice versa and you wouldn't even know the difference, Sharing is caring right? Any who we're living in 2010 almost 2011 now and the blazers they're coming up with are definitely more updated, modern and chic pieces. You can stick with a classic black blazer but it might have silk lapels. There are some blazers that are embellished with sequins and rhinestones now. The possibilities are endless and I thought I'd share some of my favorite blazers from my own closet with you!

BLAZER #1

I purchased this blazer at H&M for I think about $29.95 last fall and I'm obsessed with it!

 Why am I obsessed? Well I love the length of it technically it's like a boyfriend jacket but more loose and longer. It's perfect for wearing over a minidress or just wearing it with a top and leggings. It really is versatile you can wear it so many different ways but the only thing I suggest with a blazer like this is get your proportions right. DO NOT! I REPEAT DO NOT wear this blazer with long wide leg pants you will look like you're wearing a jacket that's 10 sizes too big for you and it will be very unflattering. What you could do is be even more daring you could possibly wear this jacket as a dress itself and just belt it in the middle and add a few accessories sleek your hair back and it would be an awesome night on the town look!.

Unfortunately this blazer is no longer available but! possibly search ebay and you can probably get it for a good deal!

Blazer #2

I also purchased this one at H&M for a mere $14.95 when I saw this print I absolutely fell in love with it! The graphics to me are stunning and the fact that it's black and white really caught my eye. The idea that it's black and white makes it completely versatile with many different types of pieces whether it would be just plain black or white or even a blast of color. What's on trend right now is mixing patterns and this piece is definitely good for just that! I really like that it drapes right by the waist too it can create the illusion of a slimmer waist and the pattern gives a somewhat slimming silhouette. There's shoulder pads that aren't too dramatic in it as well. To me this jacket looks very expensive similar style to the jacket Rihanna wore in her "What's My Name" music video. This jacket also is a day and night type of jacket could be worn either way! I purchased this in the spring so technically it's no longer available. SORRY GUYS :P

Blazer #3

I actually saw Brandy photographed in this blazer it's from Rachel by Rachel Roy. I was drawn to this blazer I don't think even because of the blazer! it's the lining that drew me in. The combination of colors and the tie dye effect it has got me at HELLO! I also loved the fabric choice the sheen of the jacket the embellishments on the lapels and the padded shoulders. Yes I might look like a linebacker when I wear it but I'll feel like a sexy linebacker! Style wise this is more of an evening blazer it's hard to dress it down because it has so many characteristics of being an evening jacket but nothings wrong with looking nice during the day. This jacket is also very roomy so you can give yourself space to breathe. The lapels on this jacket are long and slightly round not angular so it's hard to find a top to really completely go well with it but make sure you play with the right proportions again! With this blazer if you're gonna wear something short on the bottom stay covered on top and if you're gonna show more on top cover up on the bottom. Don't go for the " I don't look like I'm wearing any pants look" with this jacket because it will take the taste of this jacket down a few notches. 

Again this Blazer is no longer available because I purchased it last fall as well but make sure you keep your eye on Ebay it might just show up!

You can probably check out these 5 sites for amazing blazers for a good price range:

EXPRESS

www.express.com

ZARA

www.zara.com

MACY'S

www.macys.com

ANNE TAYLOR LOFT

www.loft.com

JCPENNEY

www.jcpenney.com

* Unfortunately you cannot shop online at H&M or view their selections but I definitely recommend it as well!

Hopefully this gave you an idea of what type of blazers you should purchase and how to wear them.Or at least open your mind to new options. :)

Thanks for reading! 

Riley

Belated Black Friday Special! KOHLS.

I hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving weekend! Unfortunately I had to work on Thanksgiving day but I'm sure some of you had to as well. But the best part of Thanksgiving is not on Thanksgiving day but it's the day after.. well actually technically 3-5 hours after Thanksgiving day. Those of you that don't know what I'm talking about on the day after Thanksgiving there's a special sale. Hundreds of thousands of stores participate in what they call "Black Friday". Black Friday is pretty much a sale that runs from the early morning, earliest is 3 a.m. to about mid afternoonish say around 3-4 p.m. At that time a slew of people gather at the earliest time possible to stand in line, some people go even as far as to camp out. The sales usually range from 25-75% everything in the store! So I was kind of antsy and wanting to go everywhere.

I was really looking forward to H&M and Macy's black friday sale but unfortunately for me I've been having car issues and decided to just stay local. In the city of Sheboygan there's not much choices when it comes to clothes. I had to choose between Target and Kohl's. Target last year was a mess. I waited in line and looked through everything and the only thing that truely interested me was Gossip Girl seasons 1-2 and even then it was just alright, not to mention that the checkout line lapped around the store about 3 times. So I decided to go to Kohl's. Kohl's is a well known department store that sell things from clothes to bedding. Kohl's can be comparable to Boston Store or Sears because they carry pretty much the same type of necessities. They're known for carrying new brands like Simply Vera by Vera Wang, LC by Lauren Conrad, Elle Contemporary Collection, Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne and the Candie's franchise.

Even though a lot of people would probably be against shopping at a place like this. I'm actually a pretty openminded shopper! I'll shop anywhere from thrift stores to even higher end stores (if i had that kind of money). But usually I'm a bargain shopper I look for good deals, a good look, and good quality all in one.

My favorite lines from Kohl's personally are Simply Vera by Vera Wang and LC by Lauren Conrad and sometimes Elle's contemporary collection.

Black friday was having an awesome deal on all three brands 35%-60% all clothes from those brands even from the clothes that just came out for this season.

I couldn't help myself so I ended up buying a few pieces and here they are...

Simply Vera by Vera Wang Collection




Originally this piece was $48.00 but I got it for $23.00 which was 60% off
I bought this piece because I love sequins and the sleeve was drapey give it a romantic feel!
NO LONGER AVAILABLE (maybe at a local store)



This top I'm in love with again because of the romance in it and the print is very artsy.
This top originally was $40.00 but I got it 40% off so it was $26.00 after the discount
AVAILABLE ONLINE for $27.99 +tax and shipping and handling


I had to get this top because it's wearable for day and night. I don't really have a lot of work type of clothes so this would definitely fit in if I was to work either retail or in an office.
Originally this top was $48.00 but because it was 60% off I got it for $23.00.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONLINE (maybe at a local store)



The sequins were dying for me to buy it and plus I love that it's a tunic! I wore it as a dress though lol depending on your height you can probably pull it off too!
This top is originally $48.00 as well but 60% off and it was $23.00 as well
NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONLINE (maybe at a local store)

LC by Lauren Conrad Collection



I saw this jacket in a magazine and since I saw it I felt like i had to get it!
It's a cotton stretch jacket with lace detailing kind of has that Victorian feel that I like.
Originally this jacket runs for $72.00 but I got it 60% off which was $35.00
NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONLINE (maybe at a local store)

These aren't necessarily the best Black Friday Deals ever! But this is what I had to work with locally so bare with me. I don't think I would do black friday at Kohl's again but I would have to say that when you have to settle when you want a good deal for clothes Kohl's isn't the worst place to go but it's definitely no H&M or Zara.

Also remember to shop www.kohls.com if you liked any of the clothes or brands in this blog

I hope you guys liked my picks for black friday!
Stay Tuned! Up Next My 3 Favorite Blazers from my very own collection!

Mandy Moore at the AMA's

Everyone knows I love me some Mandy Moore! :)
She has definitely been MIA from the fashion scene/red carpet for a long while.
But recently she stepped out looking quite amazing at the AMA's (American Music Awards)
From the color of her hair down to her Jimmy Choo nude heels she looked great and healthier than ever.
Mandy wore this nice Matthew Williamson Dress from his Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

I love the fact that her look is pretty effortless doesn't seem like she had to think about too much just put on some nude heels with a printed metallic dress and some minimalist jewelry she was pretty much set.

Her hair and makeup I love as well very matte and suttle

Her makeup artist, Rachel Goodwin, stated that her makeup was all from the Nars collection
(which is available at Sephora Stores)

For more information about Mandy Moore or her looks checkout these websites

www.mandymoore.com

Mandy's Makeup Artist

www.rachelgoodwin.com

Where Nars Cosmetics is Available

www.sephora.com

To See More of Matthew Williamson's Spring/Summer 2010 Collection check out his website

www.matthewwilliamson.com


I hope you all had a great thanksgiving holiday! and you'll definitely be seeing more of my posts!

MIA...From Fashion Blogging

Yeah it's been a while since I've actually blogged about fashion lately and I thought what better time to start than now. I've been just preoccupied with just way too many other things. Going out on the town, work, other things stress related but I know I should devote more of my time to this blog instead of doing useless surfing on the net. I want to share with people my points of views and thoughts on the fashion. Like I said before the main point of my blog is not only to show clothes that I like but also clothes that are affordable and within price range not always designer duds. Although I might blog about designer pieces now and then I'd like to keep the affordable deals up to date. Well hopefully you'll see a new blog by the end of tonight :).

Off to work CIAO!

Reality Fashion The Hills of the City

It's obvious to many, preteens to women in their 30s, know what The Hills and The City are.

These shows have major drama, cat fights and hookups.
The best part about it all is the fashion of course.
The resident "Characters" of the show have their own side jobs which is designing. Whitney Port and Lauren Conrad have been together since the hills but departed due to different opportunities.
But together they've both become young designers to watch.
Whitney Port has her line Whitney Eve and Lauren Conrad has a line out for Kohl's Department store.
Both represent different spectrum of style.

Whitney Eve's Fall 2010 Collection

Honestly, I'm not super thrilled with what Whitney has to offer this season for her collection.
Her collections have all been super girly and I think she was going for a 60s-70s Vibe or a more psychadelic look and I'm not really feeling it. Here's a few pieces from her collection you decide!

Whitney Eve's Natalie Dress

Whitney Eve's Mae Dress

Whitney Eve's Audrey Dress

These are just a few personal favorites of mine from her Fall 2010 Collection but if you want to check out more from her lookbook go to

http://www.whitneyeve.com

Lauren Conrad Kohl's Collection

All of Lauren's collections remind me of a more casual laid back type of girl. Her Kohl's line isn't designed for glamour but more for the everyday girl. I think a lot of it is inspired by the L.A. girl.
A lot of her clothes reminds me of stuff she would wear, but I guess as a designer that's your biggest challenge designing things that other people would wear. Here's just a few pieces that I picked as some of my favorite she has available right now.



Lauren Conrad's Lace-Striped Tee $16.99

LC Lauren Conrad Embellished Romper $34.99

LC Lauren Conrad Lace Skirt $21.99

Check out more of Lauren Conrad's line at Kohl's at

http://www.kohls.com
keyword: Lauren Conrad


Olivia Palermo is well known for being on "The City" but actually she's a socialite. She has an impeccable taste for fashion and her style is New York and so sleek it's sick. Being the antagonist to Whitney Port's protagonist on The City probably doesn't score her any points fan wise. Regardless she'll make up for it with her designed accessories for Roberta Freymann called Roberta Freymann by Olivia Palermo. I'll give you guys a sneak peek at my favorites from this collection as well

Roberta Freymann by Olivia Palermo Summer 2010


Le Marais necklace $270.00

Tribeca Necklace No Longer Available


Mitte necklace green $250.00

If you want to see more of Olivia Palermo's designs or just to see more of Roberta Freymann's accessories check out:

http://www.robertafreymann.com

This was a long blog but I think you get the idea. These girls aside from the drama are very talented. My personal favorite out of the 3 girls is Olivia Palermo's necklaces. Personally I'd like to see what Olivia would come up with clothing wise but only time will tell!

Milwaukee Boutique of the Month: Urban Laundry

Everyone wants to have their own secret weapon for shopping right?
Well a lot of people don't give enough boutiques in Milwaukee the credit they deserve.
I think I'll share a boutique monthly and some of the items that they carry.
One of my ultimate favorite boutiques is Urban Laundry.
Urban Laundry is one of the best boutiques in Milwaukee, the reason why?
Urban Laundry has a little bit of everything for every girl.
They satisfy every fashion craving there is necklaces, rings, belts, bracelets, clothes etc.
So many styles and so many new trends to try. Your eyes will keep wandering throughout the store.The owner is super friendly and will give you the best customer service. They usually have trunk sales every couple months if you subscribe to their emailing/mailing list. 10%-25% if not more off regular priced items and then sometimes 50% clearance too.
The prices, from my experiences of shopping there, are pretty reasonable. Some of the pieces are so worth it!
Their sizes run from 2-12.

My personal all time favorite brand that they carry there is Ryu.

Ryu Gathered Metallic Jacket $81.00

Ryu Trenchcoat $84.00

Ryu Pink Multi Cascading Dress $98.00

Although some of these pieces may not be available at the store. You shouldn't have a problem shopping for this brand online. But drop in and see what they do have from Ryu because the draping and details are simply amazing! This designer just screams romance... and I LOVE ROMANCE!

Oh for a side note, after you're done shopping or just dropped by you should definitely take a look at Ristorante Bartlotta. Their deserts are beautiful!. I've never been to France before and the way their desserts were made made me feel like I was in France! Their food is also very delicious so stop by and have a little dessert to snack on.


Urban Laundry is located at:
7602 Harwood Avenue
Wauwatosa, WI 53213-2609
Call them at (866)528-7766

visit their website:
http://www.urban-laundry.com


Ristorante Bartolotta is located at:
7616 West State Street
Wauwatosa, WI 53213
Call them at (414)771-7910

visit their website:
http://www.bartolottaristorante.com

ENJOY! :)

Statement Necklaces!

Statement Necklaces have been my biggest obsession lately! They're the only accessory that really come to my mind when I shop right now. I think the reason why they're so important is because you can wear it casual and you can wear it with a dress and it will make the outfit. Any fashionista should pick one up there are plenty of boutiques, department stores and retail stores that carry them. Express had a good promotion going on and I got 4 necklaces for less than $100! It was a steal. Personally I love their jewelry they're good quality for a good price.

Here's a few I picked up from express on a recent trip!

Nested Beaded Wire Bib Necklace $39.99

Long Layered Flower Chain Necklace $69.50

Wow I Can't Find The Other Ones on the Site! That's Sad! But I Have Few That I Would Recommend.

LUX CRYSTAL AND RHINESTONE FRINGE NECKLACE $148.00

This is a little pricey for my range but this would be one of those pieces that are splurgeworthy!

For a more affordable version I would recommend...

Layered Fringe Necklace $44.90

WARNING TO BUSTY WOMEN! DO NOT! wear statement necklaces if you do not want your decolletage emphasized! Sometimes it's not always good to emphasize parts that already get enough attention as is. I recommend women with big busts to wear shorter minimal necklaces and if you're going to wear statement necklaces make sure it's with a t-shirt or a dress not revealing cleavage.

Everything here is from Express.com and is on the site as of today so shop your heart out! Also remember to take advantage of their Buy one, get one 50% off deal!

Let Me Introduce Myself! :)

Hi everyone! I'm new to blogspot. I haven't really had the chance to blog about anything lately because I've honestly been lazy lol. I realized that I really have so much to share and say about fashion. Not utilizing an easy way to communicate to other fashionistas in the world would be unethical of me. That being said, Hi my name is Riley I'm a fashion marketing student/stylist. I'm located in Milwaukee, WI.

In my younger years to the present I've always had a desire to learn and understand the meaning of art. For me I loved to express myself through colors, through shapes, and sketching. I like to observe obscure images and people just because it gets a whole imaginative flow going on in my mind. I think you can tell a lot about a person from the way they dress. You can tell whether or not they really care about their image or they don't. People have a reason for caring and some people don't. Whether or not they want to care is up to them and there could be a possible list of factors that add up to why. That's what makes it a lot more interesting dissecting everything about a person's persona based on the way they are dressed.

Recently I participated in a contest for Flaire Boutique's Milwaukee Style Trial. Although there were a total of 7 girls competing I was honored with winning the ultimate prize! First Place. Styling is a lot of hard work! I honestly thought that it was just throwing a bunch of clothes together and taking a picture. So many factors come into play like scenery, light, the model, fit, color, accessorizing etc. I realized after the competition that it's something that I wanted to pursue. Being able to dress many different people, make them see my vision and see my creativity put to work is really gratifying. I want to push myself to take more risks working with different people and have myself grow and learn in the process.

The reason I'm creating this blog is to share my ideas and thoughts about my love for fashion and my own aesthetic. I'll also share a few of my favorite beauty and tips about being a good bargain shopper. I think every person wants to find the best deals for less! And also the best of retail stores within Wisconsin! No one really blogs about style and fashion in Wisconsin so I'll put my two cents in. So prepare yourself to be fashionistasianized because I have a lot to say and you'll have a lot to read! :)


Love,

Riley