Oxygen & Retail.

Vodafone London Fashion Weekend

2012-02-25T23:19:00.005+00:00

I won by the way! :)

Today I attended Vodafone London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House in London. I had an amazing time, to say the least, and I would recommend the event for men and women of all ages. (I would also recommend you go with 2-3 people. It gets crowded after a while and it may be difficult to find one another if you have a huge "crew"). But before I describe my experience in more detail, I have to alert my "Mr. Chow's Scarf from Hangover II stalkers". Rejoice for I have "found" Mr. Chow's Scarf again. The Ahujasons scarf was previously sold out on Anthropologie.com. I say "found" because the scarves I found that are similar to Mr. Chow's in Hangover II are not by Ahujason and they do not have the same color scheme. They were being sold by Aspiga, but they have sold out as well. BUT! You can get one online now at NotOntheHighStreet.com for 24 GBP (38 USD). I bought one, but only paid 15 GBP because I purchased it at VFLW. I suppose if you want it bad enough, you'll get it anyway! They're both 100% wool and feel quite similar.

Now, back to my take on VLFW. My favorite brand of the day was Antipodium. (Please note, I was wearing four inch clogs and barely made it out alive, so I am sure I missed a few great designers! If you like, you can find the list of the designers that were at the event here). The brand has some pretty pricey items in stores as of now, so I am so excited to have scored an Antipodium tee for £15! To my fellow Americans, you'll be glad to know that when Antipodium founder Geoffrey J. Finch was asked what 2012 holds for his brand, he said “Expansion in the USA.” Antipodium is currently available at Liberty, Shopbop, ASOS, Barneys NY, and a few others. I loved my Vodafone London Fashion Weekend experience and if you were in attendance, I hope you did as well . If you did not attend, but plan to next year, I have 6 great tips for future VLFW participants of the future:

Go the Very First Day If Possible

While I found a few things I truly love, I think if I had been there as soon as possible I would have had 4 times the amount of items I purchased today. But that's just a theory...

Wear Flats...

No explanation needed, really. Somerset House was huge and cobblestone filled, with lots of steps, etc. Wedges are fine, but I recommend flats.

The Bag

If you like to have "momentos" from the event and you don't mind being surprised by what is in the bag, get it! I'll probably use most of the things in my bag even though I never would have before today (p.s. a highlight of the items in the bag: imPRESS press on nails. It sounds corny, but if you are clumsy like me and always mess up your own nails when you paint them, you may want to get some! Buy them here!).

Don't Buy Anything Extremely Overpriced

There are a lot of great designers and small boutiques available with great items and reasonable prices (less than £60). Don't lose your mind in there! To give you a taste, there was a Sass & Bide top for £30 ($47) that retailed at about £290 ($460) . So you can get your hands on some great stuff for a great price!

Take Part in All the "Freebies"

Great "freebies" from Veet, Elle, and Løv Organic (Organic Tea) this year. Don't miss the "freebies" next year! I used quotation marks because you paid for the ticket to get access to this, so technically it wasn't free at all (Bummer to the psyche, I know).

Look Your Best!

In hindsight, I definitely would have straightened my hair and worn something completely different! ELLE had a million photo shoot ops, and Canon did as well (both free of charge). If I had the chance to do it differently, I would!

East End Thrift Fill a Bag

2012-02-11T16:35:00.000+00:00

So today marks the biggest ever jumbo sale at East End Thrift in London E1 4UT. The doors opened at 11am exactly, and they managed to fit everyone in within about 2 minutes. It was about 30˚F and upstairs, where the sale was being held, there was no heat. So if you can imagine trying to sift through junk clothes as fast as humanly possible with frozen fingers, you may as well have been there. I think that's what slowed me down the most *sigh*.

This was my first ever 'thrifting' experience, and I have to say it was quite chaotic. Overall, I think it would be a complete waste of time to arrive to an event like this late (even 5 minutes late), because by then, believe it or not, everyone has gotten their hands on 3-4 items and probably won't make their final purchase decisions until about an hour later. In the future, I don't think I will be doing very much trifting, if any at all. Mostly because I have buyer's remorse (with no receipt) and secondly because most of the items in thrift stores are a little too 'vintage' for my taste. So I think I'll stick to online shopping. But! To each their own. I would still encourage it for the experience and definitely for the price.

Despite thrifting being a one-hit-wonder for me, I walked away with a free people top, black and white polka dot dress, 3 vests, a purse, and 3 scarves for £10. I also purchased a pair of leather shorts on the ground floor. Some of the items I bought for friends, the others are mine :) Have you ever attended an event like this? If you would like to experience the next jumble tomorrow, doors open at 11am. East End Thrift has an official website, a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account in case you need help finding them. Fit all you can into a medium sized bag for £10 or a large bag for £20. Good luck!

Nordstrom App Launch

2011-11-15T19:16:00.001+00:00

So, Nordstrom launched their app today! Here is the dish:

It's free and can be downloaded by iPhones 3GS or higher, running with OS 4.3 or higher
The app works on iPad , but the official iPad release will be in 2012
The Android app will be available before Thanksgiving
Windows phone app is not currently in the making
Download it here: http://bit.ly/NordstromApp

From playing around with the app it has all of the features many similar apps do, but my favorite feature is the events tab to make you aware of the Nordstrom events going on in your local area. Very convenient! Can't say I expected anything less than this! Kudos to Nordstrom IT! :)

Did You Know?

2011-09-18T06:38:00.001+01:00

So I've been so caught up in my studies (not necessarily a bad thing) that I had no idea Zara officially included the States in their regions for online shopping! The states were added on September 7th so all Zara addicts can finally get their fix without even leaving the house. Another thing to note is that you have the option to pick the item up from the store in a few days or get standard 2-4 business days for FREE. No, this is not a dream :)

Shop Zara now

Every Once in A While...

2011-08-19T03:54:00.003+01:00

Every once in a while, I spot something that just absolutely inspires me. That moment has come again. I'm not sure what it is about this shoe. Is it the tortoise print? The hidden heel? The simplicity? That it's Jeffrey Campbell? (Well, no...I am not partial to the Stinger Creeper platform). What's your stance? Love it? Hate it? Either way it's still my absolute favorite. Find them here!

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale Favorites

2011-05-28T22:07:00.002+01:00

The last day of Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale is here and here are the favorites of the last items! Many of the items featured come in alternative colors (i.e. DKNY Jacket, Badgley Mischka bag, etc) so even if you're not crazy about the colors displayed here, there is a chance that a color you love is in stock as well. All of the items below are under $200 (some as low as $46!). Shop your heart out :)

DKNY Jacket, Current/Elliott Short

MICHAEL Michael Kors Jacket, Citizens of Humanity Jeans

Current/Elliott Jeans

DV by Dolce Vita Slip-On, DV by Dolce Vita Sandal

DianeVonFurstenberg, Dolce Vita Slip-On

Loeffler Randall, Badgley Mischka

T Tahari Jacket, See by Chloe Sandal

Mr. Chow's Scarf

2011-05-28T18:33:00.004+01:00

Buy It!

So, a few days ago I fell in love with this scarf from Anthro. After seeing The Hangover 2, I discovered Mr. Chow fell in love with it before I did! Just thought it would be funny to share :) Click the link below the picture to buy!

*Sorry, as of January 2012 this item is sold out! Please refer to the comments section below in regards to where you can find more scarves by Ahujasons and refer to the Vodafone Fashion Weekend post if you're interested in a scarf of a similar style

Bright Ideas

2011-05-16T23:32:00.000+01:00

Current/Elliott

Zara Tulip-Skirt Dress (Multi, Pink)

(From Left) Sonia scarf, Lauren Pierce scarf, 3.1 Phillip Lim top, Louboutin Daffodil 160

(From Left) Zara Blazer, Zara ballerina, Wren short, JC Savanna platform

Site Analysis Part II: The Elite

2011-05-11T04:24:00.009+01:00

This is second, and final, segment of my analysis of the sites that I have found to be the most helpful in finding a style for myself, guiding me with the latest trends, and the sites that enable me to shop and be a starving college student. The link to the sites discussed can be found under O&R Favorites to the left. Have any questions or comments, feel free to post them here or on Twitter. Enjoy!

$$$$ - Luxury

$$$ - Expensive
$$ - Reasonable

$ - Very Reasonable

AKIRA ($$/$$$) – The site has a little bit of everything, but the real treasure is their shoe selection. Akira is based in Chicago and is relatively new, but it’s awesome and worth a browse at the very least.

25Park ($$$/$$$$) - If you’re a designer junkie (DJ) like myself, 25Park has great sales on the regular. For instance, there were some Giuseppe Zanotti sandals that retail for 695, but were on sale for 139, but if you’re tiny like me you’ll have to catch the sale as soon as new items are added.

The Outnet ($-$$$$) – Another DJ site with great discounts. Their only downfall is that much of the items on the site are not that great so it’s no wonder Net-a-Porter let the pieces go rather than keeping them. Still, there is always a “must-have” piece that’s probably easy to find in your size with their great filters.

Farfetch ($$-$$$$) – Farfetch is awesome because they house pieces directly from the boutique in a place you never would have step foot in any time soon. Their aim is to “provide an exciting range of designers and labels, while maintaining the personality of unique, independent boutiques” and they do just that. Want a well-rounded wardrobe? Meet Farfetch.

Retailmenot – The only site you need for discounts at your favorite store. Also, since some sites don’t run promos at all, they even post regular sales that are currently on the site as well as the expiration dates.

The Corner ($$$$) - Mostly go here for inspiration or to find the name of a piece and search for the name somewhere else to find a better price. If it is, however, in your price range, this is definitely a go-to place for that standout piece in your wardrobe if you’re a “futuristic” dresser.

Cusp ($$) - Neiman Marcus sale site, major downside: there is no filtering so you have to look for HOURS to find what you want! (If you can even find it in your size!). It is however worth it to look if you’re really looking for a great deal.

LUISAVIAROMA ($$$$) - GREAT place to find unique pieces. Very high end pieces, it’s really a site you’d have to take a look at yourself to see the beauty of it.

Karmaloop ($-$$$)- Best place to get your favorite Jeffrey Campbell’s with a great discount! I don’t spend too much time with the clothing on the site. But, like I said, it’s worth browsing for your favorite JC’s.

Etsy ($-$$$) – A site dedicated to “[enabling] people to make a living making things”. Although you have to allow an entire day to go through the site, if you like custom made pieces, it may be well worth it. Also, if you’re a designer yourself, this is a great place to sell your items.

Bird ($$/$$$) – Owned by a former Barneys New York assistant buyer, Bird is understandably pretty expensive. With that said, I truly think it’s worth it. The selection is unique mostly because it is not directly focused on majorly successful designers. Definitely recommended!

Club Monaco ($$) – Can't understand for the life of me why they do not have an online store, but it's great to browse and call in to find the pieces you like on the site. *Sigh*

CALYPSO St. Barth ($$/$$$) – St. Barth is, for lack of a better term, Anthropologie-esque. The store began as a resort wear line and you can see their beginning influences remain a theme in their current pieces as well. Great place for beach cover ups and bags!

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Site Analysis Part I: The Basics

2011-05-09T02:59:00.009+01:00

This is an analysis of the sites that I have found to be the most helpful in finding a style for myself, guiding me with the latest trends, and the sites that enable me to shop and be a starving college student. My next batch will include other sites in Retail Fix (to the left). Enjoy!

$$$$ - Luxury

$$$ - Expensive

$$ - Reasonable

$ - Very Reasonable

J. Crew

Anthropologie ($$) – Whenever I’m looking to splurge a little, I go to Anthro mostly because I know the majority of the time I will get items worth the ticket. One of my favorite things about Anthro is that at times they do not disclose the designer of an item. This is a gift and a curse because it makes it more difficult to find the item elsewhere, but it also helps break down the mentality of being brand-conscious rather than fashion conscious. Not to mention that if you can EVER get to an Anthro when they have just put items on sale, it will be like Christmas. For those like myself who wear a size that is in high demand, its very much worth it to make it to your local store at 9:01 the day of the sale. Not to mention, their staff is always awesome and willing to help!

J. Crew ($$/$$$) – What I’ve found from J. Crew is that your best option is to browse the site, and then look for the item/items at a local store (or call before you make the trip). The reason this works best for me is because the fitting is usually off if I just wing it, and also, some items may be on sale at the local store and not online. Also, pay attention to the demand of the item. If it’s in high demand, chances are it is not going to go on sale any time soon. So if it is a featured item and you know you want it, buy it! It will save you the trauma of going back to the site or your local store and finding out that the item is gone!

Net-a-Porter ($$$$) – This is my favorite site for trend watching and style inspiration. New items come in Monday, Wednesday and Friday and each day there’s something I love. Most of the items though, are in the $$$$ range, so unless you have access to those kinds of funds, I would go just for inspiration or at the very least to find items to sale watch on another site. That is another thing, the only have seasonal sales. Now, generally this would seem awful, but when Net-a-Porter has a sale, they have A SALE (More toward the $/$$ range). I would even suggest you put away a Net-a-Porter sale fund, but maybe that’s just me ^_^

Net-a-Porter

Zara

Lori’s Shoes ($$/$$$) – Based in Chicago, this is almost a great secret of mine. A great place to find shoes for a decent price. They also have great coupon deals often, which is a great incentive to buy the item from them rather than elsewhere. Definitely a site I recommend for frequent shoe buyers.

Zara ($/$$) – Since Zara is systematically neglecting the United States by not having an online store for us, this is another browse only site. So really, unless you have a local Zara store, the only benefit is to get style ideas or browse at the Lookbook. But if you do have a local store, another thing I suggest is that you GO rather than calling to have them ship anything because as any online shopper knows, what you see online is not exactly what you get in the store. So if you do find something, or if Zara is online in your country, I would say go anyway to evaluate the quality of the item.

Polyvore/ShopStyle – Even though Polyvore is a fashion community for advice amongst other things, the main function I benefit from is the search option. Know the name of the designer and the name of the item and it functions similar to ShopStyle and finds all of the stores in its database that has the item. The reason why I use both Shopstyle and Polyvore is because it gives results for stores with the item that ShopStyle does not and visa versa.

ASOS

Asos ($-$$$) – This site has me convinced that I am part British or something because it has been my obsession ever since I became acquainted with the site. The best thing about ASOS is it’s price range. They have items anywhere from F21 price range to Net-a-Porter price range, so you get a wide variety of items. Thankfully, there is a filter system, so it isn’t overwhelming. Through this site I discovered All Saints and River Island which I love, so it’s a great source for new designers or designers that are not as popular in the US.

Gala Gala Gala

2011-05-04T01:24:00.013+01:00

Taylor Swift in J. Mendel and Ciara in Prabal Gurung

Blake Lively in Chanel and Solange in Dries Van Noten

Alexander McQueen's designs are currently featured in the Costume Institute Retrospective at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The collection, entitled Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, is showcased in honor of the late designer's contribution to fashion as the art form it truly is.

Out of the guests who attended the event, my absolute favorite of the night, dare I say it, was Solange in Dries Van Noten. I thought the dress was amazing and she truly stood out, in a great way. To all of these ladies, I say a job well done. Most often those who are the most stunning are not the most famous, so they go unrecognized. It's truly unfortunate that people tend to play favorites. The goal should involve being as objective as possible, rather than attaching yourself to a fan club. It's simple; be consistent, be a fan of fashion.

Stay tuned. My next post will include an in depth analysis on the sites listed in Retail Fix; when to shop, what to buy, when to browse.

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Subject to Interpretation

2011-05-02T20:36:00.000+01:00

STI by findyoursoul13 featuring a zip tote

Access

2011-05-01T17:41:00.000+01:00

Halyard Necklace, Cluny Lace Necklace, Vivienne Westwood Scarf

The New Red, White and Blue

2011-05-01T16:30:00.000+01:00

Versace scarf, Dotty Shorts, Dolce Vita Jade Wedge

You'd be a Fool not to Love...

2011-04-02T01:12:00.011+01:00

Pom Pom Zarape Clutch

I Love Binetti Bag

Bettye Muller Caprice

Dolce Vita Wedge

Surface to Air Wedge

Negative Space Wedges

New Beginnings.

2011-04-01T21:42:00.000+01:00

This blog originally began during my first semester in college when I decided that all I really need in life is oxygen and retail. This blog serves solely to share the things that keep me going and my love for fashion. This is one purpose it will forever serve, as I continue on this journey to create something great.

-Shekiaya Gowans

"Love life, Love Fashion"