Bargain Hunting

An element of romance accompanies times of war – love for our troops, dedication to our country, a fascination with foreign lands and lonely soldiers. The fashion industry uses this inspiration time and again as both accents and focal points in a continual resurgence of summer’s paramilitary trend.

Sporting the military trend takes too much testosterone for some women and tired khakis and repeat cargos create fatigue. To keep the look fresh, designers paired paramilitary pieces like strong shoulders, camel chinos and combat-inspired boots and sandals with more feminine pieces and exposed skin. See also: legs. Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton and DSquared² paired olive and camel toned military-inspired jackets with short skirts and dresses. The look replaces and updates the classic cardigan for breezy evenings or chilly air conditioning. For our part, we fell in love with Marc Jacobs expertly tailored coat and forest chiffon skirt and Aquilano.Rimoldi’s soldierettes in white (left). To try the look for less, check out Gilt.com’s McQ olive army blazer or the Ernie Brinie sample sale.
For footwear, all over Soho ladies are pairing the formerly intense footwear with floral dresses and feminine skirts. Elle editor Joe Zee says go ahead and rock cargo boots at the beach. To keep it light on the feet, try Rag & Bone’s beige canvas combat boot or beige strappy wedges.
Emma Dinzebach

We’re all about avoiding skin cancer. Duh. The younger you start tanning in the direct sunlight (or god forbid in a tanning bed!) the higher your chances of getting melanoma. If you just can’t embrace your god-given hue and the thought of putting your pasty body into a bathing suits makes you puke, then you’re forced to explore some sunless tanning options. That is, if you can fake it.

So if you’re going to fake it, here are the safest ways. Self-tanners leave you either stinky or smelling like a bagel bite. If you insist on self tanners, refer to our previous list. Spray tan also does the trick with two benefits: 1) Air brushed tans looks more even and real and 2) You can tone it up while you tan. Do you notice how dancing with the stars contestants look so ripped? That’s because they are airbrushed to look that way. Toning and sculpting in the privacy of your own home. (Most companies do make house calls, pop up this little tent thing and spray away.) Weary about spending the money? There are some tricks to extend air brushed tans. Visit tanning expert cosmetic company Au Courant’s blog for tips on how to get the most brown for your buck.

Air brushing is a sneaky form of faux self-improvement. You can’t will away wrinkles without Botox and you can’t make your hair fuller sans extensions. You can, however, make your skin naturally tan by laying at the beach for five hours and tone yourself through diet and exercise. Or you can just call your local air brush queen.

Emma Dinzebach

Earlier this week two Chinese criminal offenders were convicted of conspiracy to traffic counterfeit wallets, purses, handbags, and carry on luggage items. One of the biggest case in counterfeit goods in U.S. history, reportedly Chong Lam and Siu Yung Chan and others ran an complex international counterfeit ring including manufacturing, import, wholesale, and distribution of counterfeit Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Coach, Fendi, Chanel and Gucci products valued at a corresponding price of $100 million dollars.

What concerned us more than the actual suppliers of counterfeit goods was the demand. Consumers who create counterfeit demands are hurting designers, the industry, the city, and society in several ways.

Counterfeit bags are not a “bargain.” Sample sales, online sales and trunk shows are opportunities for the middle-class to experience beautifully crafted product for a “bargain.” When you purchase a designer product you know exactly where your money is going. (Leather, production, advertising, creation, distribution, etc.) Counterfeit bags lack craftsmanship, detail and quality; and when you purchase a counterfeit item, the cash money goes to drug cartels, child labor, and the perpetuation of dishonesty and disregard. Their eco-ignorant methods of production and transport hurt people, animals and our planet. People who sell counterfeit goods are neither tax payers nor contributing members of society. Conversely, people who purchase counterfeit goods are neither tax payers nor contributing members of society.

So you can’t pop down to Chinatown on your lunch break to find it, but when you do discover the piece you love (and can afford) the feeling with be forever worth it. Your style is a representation of you. How do you present yourself to others? Are you a cheap, faux leather bag with upside-down LVs? Or are you something worth treasuring?

Emma Dinzebach

While Sex and The City 2 is getting mixed reviews and sparking varying opinions about the plot, character development and storyline, the clothes are to die for. The Middle East-inspired colors, draping chiffon and statement jewelry were so ubiquitous we might have to watch it again because a wardrobe budget rumored to be around $10 million, we without a doubt missed something.

Various retailers are taking the show’s influence to their own storefront windows with ensembles both exotic and Boho chic. Maxi dresses got a makeover this season from cotton throw-ons to luxury. The girls doned 70’s-inspired dresses that, when properly chosen, can flatter most body types. Unlike the 80’s-inspired rocker chic dresses where the them was to add, add, add, to pull of Carrie, et. al.’s look balance opulence with simplicity. A simple dress gets an over the top necklace while a long patterned dress requires less jewelry. Trade in your aged flip-flops for jewel-adorned sandals or earthy wedges.

Keep chic top of mind. This time around, the Boho look isn’t comprised of your mucky Frye’s and cut off jeans. It’s more like Boho bombshell.
Emma Dinzebach