Friday Find: ModCloth

You may have seen ads for ModCloth on some of your favorite sites around the blogosphere, but you may never have checked them out. It’s time you did. ModCloth offers a selection of affordable, cute and totally kitschy clothing, accessories and home decor for the under 30 set (although they don’t card you at you checkout, which is good because they have some totally cute stuff that those of us a bit north of 30 can pull off). The style is retro and vintage; it reminds me of those old black and white TV shows from the 50s that my brother and I used to watch on weekday afternoons. Think “I Love Lucy,” but with a modern twist.

ModCloth was started by a husband and wife team, Susan and Eric Koger when they were only 17 years old (they were not married at 17 – just sayin’). It started as an outlet for Susan’s passion for vintage clothing and soon grew and grew. In a few years’ time, they had a real winner on their hands. I can see why. The reason I’m writing this at all is that I kept seeing their ads on other sites and always thought, “What a cute dress!” I finally clicked and found they were affordable as well.

One thing that sets this apart from other clothing sites is customer participation. The “Be The Buyer” feature allows customers to vote on sample pieces. Those that get the most votes go into production. Interesting concept and smart business, if you ask me. What better way in ensure that an item is popular than having customers pick their favorites before they’re even produced? They also feature stylist’s picks so you can see the next big things.

ModCloth is fun, affordable clothing and accessories for the fashion forward woman. Go check ‘em out.

About The Author:  Megan is a professional writer, amateur photographer and an accomplished beauty product crash test dummy. She'll try anything once, especially if it's a free sample. She's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, but it will probably involve travel and Colin Farrell. And maybe some writing and photography. You can visit her at onethousandwordsormore.com or follow her on Twitter: msmegan.

Style Week Providence – Night 3

Style Week is in full swing and here is the night 3 recap.  There were only two runway shows on Wednesday night – Nicole Lebreux and Brianna Moon.  On this night, my Mom was my date.

Nicole Lebreux makes her garments locally from a collection of vintage, recycled, surplus and environmentally friendly fabrics.  She debuted her Spring/Summer 2012 line at Style Week, consisting of a collection of 23 pieces.  Her line was reminiscent of styles in the 60′s and 70′s.  The Rachel skirt just so happened to be made from a vintage pillowcase.  To my mom’s surprise, it was one of the very ones she owned back in the day.  In her opinion Nicole’s style reminded her of pop artist Peter Max.  (I didn’t know him either, Google is my friend y’all.)  Her line featured high waistlines, jumpers, rompers and dresses.

Brianna Moon is influenced by French Fashion.  She found Marie Antoinette’s dressmaker Rose Bertin’s style so interesting that she created her own line in vintage fashion from it, which included hand beaded items.  Hand beaded!  This time she debuted her Foundations line, which is filled with lace, ribbons, beading and again – what seems to be this season’s trend – high waistlines.  I have to say, I am thrilled that is coming back in fashion right now.  With the right undergarments it helps to cover up that extra weight in the stomach area you might be carrying around.  Also of notice, not very many hemlines.  One of Brianna’s dresses even had ragged edges on it like it was very quickly cut (and somewhat jagged).

Short night.  Night 4 also looks to be short as well before things get longer for the weekend.  Remember you can follow as I live tweet @Buyher and @Liza_Rae.

Style Week Providence – Night Two

Night Two of Style Week Providence!

I for one am still having a blast!

It is, however, obvious when you look around how Hurricane Irene has sadly affected the shows so far.  Night two had a good gathering but I would guess there were less people attending than at opening night.  I am crossing my fingers and hoping each day from here on out picks up because the shows are amazing, and the best part is that all the designers are local.

The Savory Grape sponsored cocktail hour and the drinks were sooo good!  I was able to take it right up on the stage with me where this time I got directed to a seat – in the front row again – only this time with my name on it.  So exciting!  Upon arriving at my seat I found a copy of Providence Monthly and a swag bag from Redken waiting for me.  Unfortunately my camera was not working properly so I was only able to snap a few photos during the night.

Katie Imswiler had the 1st runway show of the night.  According to her website, her line of swimwear is fully reversible.  Which I am in love with.  Who doesn’t like two looks in one!  During the show I could not tell if  the new looks were also reversible.  She featured a lot of grays with a mix of bright colors – many neon yellow, sometimes pink.  Lots of crisscrossing of straps and different color tops vs bottoms.  I would have to say my favorite were the long pants that folded over a bit at the waist and cover-ups she paired with her swimsuits.  I could see skinny me on the beach on a cooler day rocking the pants with a bikini top.  (Next summer maybe?)  Her show is where my camera did not work at all sadly.

Jennifer Griffith‘s ‘Playdates’ runway show was inspired by ‘women’s new found involvement in sports at the turn of the 20th century’.  She uses mostly vintage and reclaimed fabrics, vintage buttons included.  The buttons brought me right back to playing in my grandmother’s button box as a child.  While the looks were interesting, it was just not my style.

From her whole collection there was only one piece I fell in love with.  The beige eyelet dress with vintage ribbon trim was beautiful.  I did find it hard to imagine who would be wearing such outfits as the over sized bright navy eyelet dress which was not at all flattering to the model.  Seeing the collection again on The Rhode Show this morning made me look at some of the pieces differently.  I hadn’t thought I liked the piece below last night, but seeing it again this morning I ended up falling in love with it.  The blue jersey dress with the stripey inset in the front of the photo.

Jessica Abernethy found her style influenced by her education in Germany and is noted for her custom designs for clients.  Let me tell you ladies, if Jessica’s line is an indication of things to come headbands are back along with high waistlines.  Jumpsuits and overalls… and the part I found most fascinating is how she mixed it all up.  Some pieces had a mix of horizontal and vertical stripes along with a print.  Her style seemed older to me, a throwback to the 20′s in some respects.  I could not help but notice the jewelry, which was from House of Cach.  There was a beautiful long silver necklace knotted in the middle.  Definitely a line I will be checking out in the future.

Avni Trivedi was the last runway show, yet my favorite of the night I would have to say.  Avni is from India and uses handmade Indian fabrics she selects in her pieces.  She had so many beautiful pieces that I wish my camera had been working better so I could show you photos.  The line is from her ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ collection and all of the pieces have names like Tiger Lily – a silk side draped top and silk skirt or Iris – silk strapless dress with silk ruffled shoulder detail.  Beautiful.  My favorite in the collection is Rosebush – an organic cotton butterfly sleeve one shoulder top in light pink and white with organic cotton capri with satin detail.

It went perfect with the pair of Mallory Musante shoes the model wore with it.  I have to say I really got a sense for just how versatile Mallory’s shoes are during the show.  While I have seen them a few times now and thought they are beautiful, I never did know what I would wear them with.  The Avni show made me realize the shoes can be paired with so many things.  (And suddenly had me wanting a pair!)

Check out the straps on the back of this Avni dress.  Loving them!

This wraps up Style Week Providence Night 2!  Stay tuned for Night 3 and remember I will be live tweeting through the shows, which you can follow @buyher or @Liza_Rae.

Style Week Providence – Opening Night

Monday, August 29th was the opening night of Style Week Providence at the Providence Performing Arts Center (which was pushed from starting Sunday August 28th due to Hurricane Irene).  Roughly half the state of Rhode Island is currently without power due to storm damage so it was a welcome distraction to get back in gear with Style Week.  While I unfortunately had to miss Maria del Carmen Mercado‘s runway show, I was able to make it in time to attend the next three shows.

Not only was I lucky enough to just attend, I had front row stage seating.  I could actually place my feet on the edge of the raised white runway.  Such a difference from January’s Style Week where I could only attend the last night, standing room only in the back of the Providence Biltmore.  It was amazing to be so close to the models, the lights, the cameras.  It really made me look at each piece of clothing so differently.  And this time around I could also focus in on the shoes and accessories as well!

We all know how much I love my shoes and accessories!

Denise Hajjar was my first show of the night.  Her line is described on her website as a “classic modern look.”  There were times I really felt like I was staring back into some 1970′s fashion but yet it didn’t seem really dated either.  It had an edge to it making it look like something I would want to wear now.  She had some really nice styles for the fall and I was in love with all of the brown tones, as well as some adorable dresses.

Kara Wickman‘s website describes her line as a “mix of ready-to-wear separates and old Hollywood glamorous gowns for the effortlessly chic,” she aimed to design a line to transform from day to evening with the change of an accessory’.  While varied in colors, it was the teals that I found especially striking.  I couldn’t help but also notice the jewelry paired with her styles was none other than Modern Shades of Gray.  As a girl on always on the go myself I like being able to change up a look without having to do much.  LOVE that this line transforms so easily!

Samuel Vartan‘s runway show was filled with what I would describe as classy beachy looks for men and women.  Like that term?  I made it up on the side of the runway.  Going yachting?  Perfect! Linen was featured in several styles.  The Optix eye wear the models were sporting helped to complete the looks.

And…then there were some that looked like this.  No words.  Hold my hand.  I don’t know what to tell you.

I do know what to tell you.  All I could think in my head was Hey!  Aladdin called and he wants his magic carpet back.  Or something like that.

I digress.

So not all of this line was quite my taste.  Humor aside I could still appreciate all the work and time that went into each piece and I found it super sweet when Samuel walked the runway at the end with his little boy.

Opening night of Style Week Providence?  Huge success!  My sister-in-law Ana and I had a wonderful time and she helped me take some of the photos I used in this post.  Also… holy swag!  We missed out on the first bag since we were late but ended up leaving with two more!  Lots of goodies, including hair extensions from Indique, Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, a gift certificate from Optix eye wear and the list goes on.  Have no fear, they will be covered in future Buy-Her posts ladies!

In the meantime this week, make sure you are following Buy-Her and me on Twitter for live tweets during the runway shows each night.

Till tomorrow, when I post again!

Shabby Apple Dresses

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Shabby Apple asking if I’d like to review one of their dresses.  (I bet they heard about my wardrobe malfunction and took pity upon my poor, fashionably-misguided soul.)  As soon as I checked out their site, I was immediately excited. My first impression was that they’re like a more understated version of Mod Cloth or something. Anyway, I scoured through the website and ended up picking the dress most unlike anything I currently own. It’s red. (I don’t wear red.) It’s silk. (What IS silk, exactly?)

Anyway, a few days later, it arrived. After spending hours figuring out how to de-wrinkle silk (solution: I DON’T–leave it to the dry cleaners), I finally tried the frock on. My goal was to come up with a really awesome self-portrait of me in this thing, but EH. Turns out I’m not a photographer! Here’s the best I could do:

And after photoshopping my arms into a svelte shape for what seemed like six hours, I went back to the site, only to realize that I’m wearing the damn dress wrong. For crying out LOUD.

(Well the fact that it still looks good when an idiot puts it on must be a testament to the garment, no? Because, it’s not even a complicated dress! AT ALL!) Anyway, I went BACK to the bathroom to try it on again:

Eh? eh?  How sophisticated! I really like the gathering at the neck, and the cap sleeves are perfect for this modest-about-arm-pits chick. And what you can’t see from my picture is that there is a key-hole button in the back of the neck (LOVE) and the rear waist of the dress has a tying thing, except with buttons. And when it’s buttoned properly (AHEM), the closure creates the gathering around the waist (that you see above) as well as this really beautiful blossoming (I really can’t think of another word for it) effect in the back. It’s SO PRETTY. I’m certain this dress has a wide range, also. It’s perfectly appropriate for work (and did I mention comfortable?) and still looks sexy enough for nightlife.

You can see more angles of the dress (called The Last Empress) on the Shabby Apple website. It retails for about $130, but they’re almost always having some sort of sale. I think this one would make a stellar Valentine’s day outfit, right?

While you’re there, be sure to browse the rest of their dresses!  Thanks Shabby Apple! (My husband also thanks you. Ahem.)

Golden Globe Fashion – Long Sleeves

I’m not much of a bragger, but I did say that long sleeved mini dresses were going to be hot this year and I do have a soft spot for shoulder pads and embellishments, and look what showed up on the red carpet of the Golden Globes. Long sleeved maxi dresses! Let’s not quibble over the length. It was a black tie event. You can’t go showing up in a mini skirt HALLE BERRY. Who are you? The long lost fifth member of En Vogue?

(I stole that from Twitter. It was too good to pass up.)

But the second I saw Anne Hathaway, I knew that it was going to be a good night. Twitter’s initial reaction to this dress was not good, and as a general rule, I’m not a fan of Anne, but I went with my gut and immediately declared her the best dressed of the night. I love x 100 the dull glow of the sequin and beading.

None of the photos I’ve seen do Angelina’s dress any justice. The color, the movement, the draping, the shimmer – it was an absolute stunner. I do always feel the need to slap some hot rollers in her hair and trim her bangs though.

Leighton Meeeester (I just cannot say her name correctly. It’s impossible.) looks like a gussied up sister wife and I think it’s fantastic. It’s the first time she’s successfully pulled off that quirky, Zooey Deschanel look she’s always shooting for, and the shoes were to die for.

Annette Bening was a disaster. With a comb and some shoes that didn’t look like they were from a PayLess BOGO sale, she could have looked literary chic instead of like Chuckie from Rugrats. (I stole that from Twitter, too. At least I’m honest.)

Tilda. My dear, sweet, Tilda. Don’t ever change. I am a huge Tilda fangirl so it’s not surprising that I think she pulled this look off 95% – the pink shoes aren’t doing it for me, but everything else is pure Tilda.

Did you watch the Golden Globes? Whose style were you loving?

5 Fashion Trends for 2011

With my fashion resolutions in mind, I’m excited for what trends 2011 will bring to my wardrobe. From minis to maxis and brights to neutrals, I think this year will be quite the opposite of 2010. Here are my top 5 fashion trends for 2011 (because I’m way more qualified than say…Vogue or InStyle).

Long Sleeved Mini Dresses

Hemlines above the knee and neutral shoes will make you look like you have legs for miles. I’m a little more reserved (and no longer 19 years old) so I like to think of mini dresses more like tunics and layer them with tights or leggings and tall boots for the same effect. This is also the perfect opportunity to go bold with patterns and embellishments.

(You can find all product details in the Polyvore set, Long Sleeved Mini Dresses.)

Wide Leg Jeans

Leggings and jeggings have been all the rage this year, and I think they’ll continue to rein supreme, but I’m looking forward to the comeback of wide leg jeans. They really give any woman a long and lean silhouette and everyone looks good in a classic pair of trouser pants.

(Get all the product details in the Polyvore set, Wide Leg Jeans.)

Neutrals & Neons

You have to have cahones to wear fluorescent hues, but pair them with neutrals, and they are much more manageable and you won’t feel like a walking electric sign. My favorite combo is camel and neon pink, which I’ve already seen making it’s way into J. Crew’s spring windows.

(See product details in the Polyvore set, Neons & Neutrals.)

Maxi Skirts

We’re all familiar with maxi-dresses – they look good on practically everyone, travel great, and are super versatile. The maxi skirt is like the forgotten stepchild with a grudge. It rears it’s ugly head every few seasons and makes most of us look short and stumpy. (Can you tell I’m not a fan?) If you feel like going all Big Love this season, keep it simple with a colorful solid tank or classic white button-up or give it some spunk with bias cuts or extra volume.

(See product details in the Polyvore set, Maxi Skirts.)

Duster Earrings

We’re not talking big hoops. We’re not talking statement pieces. We’re talking to the shoulder, drama-lama-ding-dong, works of art, earrings. Pull your hair back to let these babies dangle in all their glory and stay far far away from small children and pets.

(Find all the product details in the Polyvore Set, Duster Earrings.)

Celebrity Trend: White Lace

Great news for those of us that couldn’t wear white on our wedding day with a clear conscience (don’t look around the room like that - I’m talking to you)! White lace is a serious celebrity trend that’s making it’s way into mainstream retailers for spring.

Kim Kardashian, Lauren Conrad, Taylor Swift and Nicole Richie have all been spotted wearing white lace this winter and I’ve found some great pieces that are budget friendly, on trend, and easy to wear.

White Lace Cardigans

Everybody loves a good cardigan (or 74 cardigans, as the case may be) and I think they are the easiest way to embrace the white lace trend. Throw one on with jeans and a t-shirt or over a little black dress and you’re ready to go. I adore the Gap lace back cardigan – what’s not to love for less than $60?

White Lace Dresses

For the full on celebrity effect, lace dresses require nothing more than a simple pair of shoes and minimal accessories to make a statement. I really love the American Apparel flower bud lace dress with it’s scoop back and linear pattern – just make sure to wear it as a layering piece or you’ll be showing everyone your business, as is the case with most American Apparel pieces.

White Lace Tees & Tanks

The lace tee originally struck me as very 80′s Madonna (a look I wasn’t willing to try) but now I think they are gorge. I am co-vet-ing the lace deep v-tee by Beyond Vintage. Even Target is getting in on the action with lots of lace tees and tanks in their juniors department!

Lace Accessories

If you’d just like to dip your toe in the white lace trend, play it safe with accessories. A lace scarf, headband, or clutch is a great way to sprinkle the trend into your wardrobe.

So, what do you think of white lace? Too white wedding? Remind you of your grandma? Okay in moderation?

Summer Skirts – the perfect length makes all the difference

We’ve covered summer dresses and handled the problem of chafing.

Now it’s time for my second favorite summer wardrobe item:

Skirts.

Look, I don’t like to cram my legs into denim if I can help it when it’s hot as hell outside, OK?  The next best thing to a one item outfit like a maxi dress is a great skirt.  I own tons of skirts.  I think every wardrobe should have at least one denim, black and white skirt in it for the greatest versatility.

I prefer an A-line or a full skirt for comfort and camouflage.  I’ll wear a pencil skirt if it’s in the right fabric.  The one hard and fast rule I have about skirts is that it must be the right length.

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