FabSugar

On Our Radar: Bid on Keira Knightley's Atonement Dress

FabSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I recently featured a Look For Less for Keira Knightley's Atonement dress but now you can get the real thing! Clothes Off Our Back is auctioning the emerald green gown beginning today until March 1. The starting price is $1,000, and though it's a hefty price to pay, take into consideration that you'll be helping Variety, The Children’s Charity of Southern California. Plus, you'll forever have the dress that Keira wore in the Academy Award nominated film. Now that's a reason to be green with envy.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

The Pros and Cons of Buying Topshop Online

Fab Community — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:22 -0800

Check out what Emily EMS has to say about her online Topshop experience in our 24/7 Go-To Fashion Guide group.

I always knew they existed - I have seen their chic dresses, sexy heels and cool tops. I am talking about Topshop. I got even more excited when I found out they opened a store in NYC, although I live in Denver, Colorado. I must say, things come around a lot slower around here, and don't get me wrong, there are nice stores here, but it's not to the point where they satisfy my fashion cravings.

This is when the beauty of online shopping comes in handy. My friend Sophie loves to shop online. She says that it's the best because she can buy things anytime, even at two in the morning, not have to worry about driving to the mall, (and not finding anything at the mall!), and in most cases, there's no sales tax, a small shipping fee, and usually, the return and exchanges are easy.

I must say, I was never comfortable with buying clothes online. Shoes and bags, I'm OK with. With clothes, things are different simply because every brand has slightly different sizing and all. Topshop was no exception. It's from the UK, and I know sometimes the equivalent of those sizes can be confusing - look at H&M!

One day, as I was looking through tons of pictures as always - new trends, jackets and coats for Fall and Winter. And there it was. I fell in love with this striped knit jacket from Topshop. I looked at the price, and fell in love with it even more - it's only $80!

I had to go to the store - but wait, there is no Topshop here in Denver! As I envied those folks in NYC, I went online. I quickly navigated myself to look for the jacket and there it was! I want, I want! Pause. What is my size?

Suddenly, I was lost. I usually wear a 2 or 4, depending on the brand. I also have jackets and tops that run rather small or large. While all those thoughts kept going around my head, I looked up on the sizing chart. Hmm . . . I think I am 4, but I don't want it to be too tight since it's a knit jacket . . . oh well, let's just order 6 in case, and if it didn't fit, I'd just exchange it. Before placing an order, it suddenly dawned on me that in case this size didn't work out, I better check on the return policy. Just in case. I'm not sure if that was a sign of something, but I looked. And I discovered many things I did not know. At first, I did not know Topshop's merchandise all ship out from UK. Thus, $15 shipping charge makes sense. Then I realized another thing. What if I wanted to return or exchange something? Sure, you can either return it in person at their stores but that is not my option. According to their website, if you wanted to return or exchange an item, you have to ship it back to their UK warehouse at your own expense. Hmmm . . .

Now I'm determined to make my purchase more "oops wrong size" free. I certainly don't want to go through with shipping the item back and forth till I get it right. It's not only time consuming, but also could end up being costly. I carefully studied the sizing chart, I realized, I needed some real people's opinions. Of course, the chart gives you the idea to narrow down which size you could possibly be, but just in case, to double check it, I did my own research.

I googled the "Topshop sizing review" and voilà! There were a few out there, but one forum was particularly helpful - Facebook. People with the same problems come together and discuss the sizing. Some argue Topshop's sizing runs smaller. Others disagree.

In the end, I ended up getting a 6 - I figured if it's bigger rather than smaller, I could live with it. I haven't gotten the jacket just yet, because I just ordered yesterday, but I'll keep you posted on the sizing. I must say the forum, like the one Facebook, did help me tremendously, sometimes a sizing chart won't do justice. Real people's opinions really do count.

So will I shop online again? Yeah, sure. But do some research beforehand, and read the fine print in case you don't like it, or it's too small or too big, or it's not what I thought it would be, or whatever the reason may be. As for me, for now, I'm waiting and hoping that all the research and reading will pay off.

There are already a bunch of groups you can join and explore, and please - start some new ones! Here's a helpful guide to creating in case you need some clarification.

Come Fab Finding With Me: Rain Coat Challenge

FabSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:50:22 -0800

Fab reader Shellper needs our help. She's in dire need of a fantastic rain coat. She brought up a good point, asking, "Wellies and Hunter boots are so popular, where are all the cute raincoats?" Are you up to the challenge? Her only requirement is that the rain coat include a hood.

I'll start you off with this Stuart Weitzman Rain Boot ($98) – I can't resist the jaguar print!

Let's go Fab Finding. Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with Rain Coat Challenge. Now, you can build outfits by creating your very own widget of clothing items. We have everything you need to build outfits, and you can use your Fab Find bookmarks, too. This is an even better way to put together an entire outfit when completing your Fab Finding missions. Learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one. And here's a detailed explanation of bookmarks from GeekSugar.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more.

Come Fab Finding With Me: FabSugar Coat Challenge

FabSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:04:22 -0700

Fab reader Sabina Tarnowka needs our help. She just moved to Michigan and is in dire need of a warm Winter jacket. She's on a budget, so I challenge you to find items under $200. Remember, Sabina wants snazzy, not sporty. I'll start you off with this EEK! by Eugenia Kim Bow Beanie ($38) for inspiration; it'll look Fab with any Winter look.

Let's go Fab Finding. Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with Winter Coat Challenge. Now, you can build outfits by creating your very own widget of clothing items. We have everything you need to build outfits, and you can use your Fab Find bookmarks, too. This is an even better way to put together an entire outfit when completing your Fab Finding missions. Learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one. And here's a detailed explanation of bookmarks from GeekSugar.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more.

Come Fab Finding With Me: Accessorize the Bride

FabSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:50:00 -0700

Listen up ladies, a fellow Fab devotee needs our help. Her wedding is in September - this is her gorgeous Priscilla of Boston dress - but she's having a hard time finding jewelry. She has big earrings in mind, but is open to different ideas and funky choices. Let's dazzle her, shall we?

I'm starting you off with her Priscilla of Boston Sweetheart Gown. Let's go Fab Finding. Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with Accessorize the Bride.

Now, you can build outfits by creating a list of clothing items. We have everything you need to build outfits, and you can use your Fab Find bookmarks, too. This is an even better way to put together an entire outfit when completing your Fab Finding missions.

Learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one. And here is a more detailed explanation of bookmarks from geeksugar.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more.

Banana Republic
Bluefly
eLuxury
J.Crew
Jildor Shoes
Live Natty
Neiman Marcus
Net-a-Porter
Pink Mascara

Come Fab Finding With Me: Aspen Food & Wine Classic

FabSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:50:22 -0700

YumSugar's heading to a three-day extravaganza at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic next week and needs our fashion expertise. She'll be attending oodles of foodie soirees so we must come up with something beautiful and unique. She has two rules: nothing tight and nothing white - what happens if something spills? Smart. Dresses are nice, but feel free to play around with skirts and cute tops. The weatherman also predicted a chance of rain, so don't forget to include a cool jacket.

I'll start you off with this Calvin Klein Sarika Platform Pump ($98); the simple style will give you room to play with color and creativity.

Let's go Fab Finding. Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with Aspen Trip.

Learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one. And here is a more detailed explanation of bookmarks from geeksugar.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more.

Banana Republic
Bluefly
eLuxury
J.Crew
Jildor Shoes
Live Natty
Neiman Marcus
Net-a-Porter
Pink Mascara

Good News Bears

FabSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:30:22 -0700

Finally, some good news. If you have a subscription to WWD, you probably wake up every day to another company reporting negative profits. After months and months, it's quite the downer. True, rock-hard luxury companies like Louis Vuitton are keeping afloat, but how is everyone else doing? WWD surveyed top designers and retail executives, and the outlook was overly optimistic. If you need a pick-me-up or just want to be enlightened, check out my favorite quotes from the article.

Michael Kors: “The good news is in this crazy, terrible economy, I think people’s taste is getting better. They have to think about what they buy and they’re getting a more discerning eye because of it. There are no more shoes you can’t walk in, bags you can’t carry, dresses you can’t sit in. All of that’s finished. It’s like the beginning of Gone With the Wind, ‘This is about a time long, long ago.’ The handbag that’s so heavy I can’t lift it, the shoe I can’t get out of a car in, the dress I have to lean in - those are memories from a time that’s gone with the wind."

Karl Lagerfeld: "You have to have something very quality and fashion at the same time, and the names are the guarantee of all that. That’s why big names are important. That’s why it might be more difficult for smaller companies. Also, Chanel is beautifully run as a company. There are no debts. There’s no healthier business than Chanel."

To read what Marc Jacobs, Rachel Roy, Givenchy's CEO, and more are happy about, read more

Marc Jacobs: “The weather is beautiful. I’m in love. I’m engaged to be married. I’m working on building a new home, and working in the studio with Steven Meisel and Madonna on the next [Louis Vuitton] campaign. Then, I have two days of shooting with Juergen [Teller]. The Met is [tonight], which I’m excited about. I’m receiving a FiFi Award. Then, we receive the International CFDA award for Louis Vuitton. So, I kind of have really great stuff on a daily basis. I can’t find anything to be unhappy about at the moment."

Fabrizio Malverdi, CEO, Givenchy: “I’m just back from the Middle East. I went to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Dubai, and it’s good to see that the atmosphere is not as depressing as in other countries. The energy is really positive. For Givenchy, we are opening new stores with the new concept we introduced a year ago [in Paris on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré]. The reaction to this new concept is really good, and we have an existing partner that wants to open stores based on it. Europe and Russia are suffering a lot, but in general, Givenchy’s women’s prêt-à-porter is going well. The sell-throughs are good. And if the customer has fun buying it, that’s the real success. We have to inject a bit of life, a bit of fun, and a bit of coolness in the market. That’s the reason why people are still buying.”

Stefano Gabbana: “First of all, we feel hypercreative, reactive, excited, and stimulated. Strangely enough, given the times, we feel good and feel the urge to experiment. I think this crisis has bought back many core values, and fashion has achieved a more human and traditional aspect, which we appreciate. Many superfluous elements have been wiped away and it’s OK if people buy less because they have too much of everything. It’s useless to have too much of everything. It’s like sitting down to a five-course meal when a plate of pasta will do just fine. This reevaluation to me is good news.”

Dries van Noten: “We just won the Fashion Institute of Technology’s 2009 Couture Council Award For Artistry of Fashion. I’m very proud of that. We opened the store in Tokyo at the end of March. It was a decision that was made at the end of October, so it’s not something most people think, ‘Oh, it was made before the crisis started.’ It’s still totally the right moment to do something like that, because it’s unexpected. Why not at this moment? It’s difficult maybe for a lot of people, but still, life continues. Shopping and buying fashion and fashion itself, are just parts of life."

Phillip Lim: “Good news - my plants in my garden are happy and about to bloom. My dog Oliver has recently learned to lay down - on command. I am more inspired, and my focus is clearer then ever! Life is good, as it’s really the simple things that I have come back to. It’s been a reawakening."

Karen Katz, president and chief executive officer, Neiman Marcus Stores: “The customer is still engaged. When we present her with the right trends, she is responding. For our storewide focus on a color, we settled on the color pink. Our customers are feminine. Pink has been perfect for her; she has definitely embraced pink. She’s also been buying anything with a feminine detail.

Diane von Furstenberg: “I think there was too much of everything, and I feel like the whole industry had to take a laxative. We just had too much s-t, and therefore there’s a cleansing thing that happens. All of a sudden it’s not so much about marketing as it is about product. We kept on saying, ‘Oh, it will sell, you know, it doesn’t matter,’ and now we’re not like that anymore. Now we’re just being much more careful."

Simon Doonan, creative director, Barneys New York: “Having been through a number of depressed periods, most notably the '70s, I find a lot of explosive creativity comes out of these periods. The punk movement in England came out of the terrible, terrible economic depression that hit England in the early '70s. A creative rage can come out of [hard times], which is an immensely productive thing and has a huge impact on fashion design and marketing.

Rachel Roy: “The good news is having the opportunity to create the secondary line [Rachel Rachel Roy] for this younger customer. It gets my mind off of designer woes and all the hardships of getting your designer clothes into specialty stores and department stores right now. It’s a fun project - it’s younger, it’s fun, it’s a bit edgy, and certain things could be a bit naughty that I can’t do in designer."

Source and Source

Sneak Peek! The Project Runway Season Six Finale Show

FabSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:00:22 -0800

There were a couple things different about this Project Runway finale runway show. First off, yours truly wasn't there. I didn't receive an invite (boo), therefore I hightailed it out of NYC to head back to sunny California - one must get ready for the Oscars anyway. Second, we have no idea how season six shaped up. We're still waiting on the new season to debut, we do know it took place in LA and has wrapped up filming, but the suspense is looming. But at Fashion Week, the finale show went on. Our favorite host, Heidi in a hot-pink Matthew Williamson satin suit, and judges, the fabulous Nina and Michael, did their front-row thing - see speculative faces below.We haven't met the designing contestants, we did meet some of the clothes. I spy a mix of Alexander Wang-inspired, girlie goth, a Siriano reminiscent poof or two, and a couple lovely, silky gowns. It's really hard to judge without the competitive context, but we can still get a taste of what's to come. Nothing groundbreaking, but some good stuff. Let me know what you think!

For a preview of the clothes from Project Runway Season Six, read more

View 23 Photos ›

Source and Source

2009 Fall New York Fashion Week: A Few Fab Words With . . . Privileged Star Joanna Garcia at BCBG

FabSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:00:22 -0800

I know you all love some BCBG, and guess who does too? Privileged star Joanna Garcia. I chatted with her front row at the show, and a new girl crush started to develop. Before I take you into the mind of Joanna - the clothes. They were architectural and fluid, hard and soft. Colors ranged from ivory to dusty wineberry to teal to steel gray. BCBG focused on the future and constructivism. I'll pass on the cocoon-like coats, but the fluid dresses always make me melt. Fabrics were diverse: wool jacquard, silk, micro jersey, and velvet. The shibori-dyed items piqued my interest, delivering an exotic side of BCBG. What really made the clothes shine, though, were the hypnotizing gold and pewter legging tights; now those were future chic.

Here's what Joanna and I chatted about:

We have a website called CelebStyle.com where we cover your Privileged wardrobe.

"Yeah, I know! It's so great. The girls have much more fun stuff on there, but I definitely love looking at all that stuff; I think it's such a great website."

Can you talk about your wardrobe on the show?

"My wardrobe is pretty basic. Cute tops, and sweaters, and jeans, stuff like that. Very much my everyday style. The other girls have a lot more fun. I actually helped design an original dress for our season finale. It took three fittings, and I was like 'This is for the birds! This is a lot of work,' so I leave the high fashion to the other girls. It was absolutely beautiful though. It was made for me, and I’ve never had that before, except my prom dress when I was 17 and it didn't turn out as nice."

To read the rest and to see more from the BCBG runway, read more.

Is this your first Fashion Week?

"This is my first New York Fashion Week. I've been to LA Fashion Week. This is very exciting. This is my first show – I'm only going to two – I'm flying back to LA tomorrow. It's very dramatic. I'm going to Rag & Bone, I'm a big fan. But I wear BCBG more than anything."

Who are some of your other favorite designers right now?

"I've always been a Marc Jacobs fan. And I love Stella McCartney, her stuff is off the charts. Some of the dresses from Blumarine - I got to wear one for the Golden Globes - they were amazing. I just pick and choose; anything that's beautiful and comfortable and vibrant colors I am so in love with."

And you're a redhead so you look great in bold colors.

"It's kind of amazing. I was a blonde my whole life until Privileged, and once I became a redhead I had no idea what I was getting into; I don’t think I'll ever go back."

View 12 Photos ›

Source

Come Fab Finding With Me: Debutante Ball

FabSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:00:22 -0800

It's a fashion emergency! One of our fellow Fab readers will be attending a decadent debutante ball this Summer and wants us to help her find the perfect dress. She's required to wear a white, cream, or very pale pastel floor-length gown, so I'm thinking maybe an ethereal look. It's up to you to make her shine!

I'll start you off with these Kenneth Jay Lane Crystal Teardrop Earrings ($90) because they emit ultimate elegance.

Let's go Fab Finding. Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with debutante ball.

Learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one. And here is a more detailed explanation of bookmarks from geeksugar.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more.

Active Endeavors
Banana Republic
Bluefly
eLuxury
J.Crew
Jildor Shoes
Live Natty
Neiman Marcus
Net-a-Porter
Pink Mascara