From WWD

From StyleBlazer

After landing a collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, it’s safe to say that Melissa’s Shoes is having a very good year! Now the company’s diffusion line, Mel, will partner with fast-fashion giant Forever 21.  The collaboration will include six designs, including sandals and slip-on shoes, starting at $19.80.

Melissa’s U.S. CEO Michele Levy told WWD: “Forever 21 is a great way for us to reach a wider audience with the right fashion credibility. Forever 21 stands for value, fashion and fun, so our values matched theirs.”

Read more at StyleBlazer

iStockphoto

When it comes to office attire, your wardrobe needs to be on point. You can’t just go into the boardroom wearing any old thing and expect to be taken seriously. Unfortunately in this game – image is everything with potential clients and investors coming to a conclusion of who you are by how you look.

So what does this mean – we need to go into debt looking good? By all means no! Many women are quite savvy in the fashion department and know how to make pieces work to their benefit. Still, it’s important to know which stores are available for affordable office attire. If you happen to be on the search for staples, you may want to consider these stores.

From StyleBlazer

Forever 21 revealed its Spring 2013 campaign girl, Cassie!

The model and wannabe singer posed for the brand 90s L.A. inspired collection. Full of geometric prints, crops tops, some overalls and other form fitting pieces the 26-year-old looks youthful. The collection is divided by the West Side that has laid-back pieces with abstract prints, vibrant sneakers and crop tops, and the East side that has 90s urban Los Angeles style with vintage and alternative style pieces.

See more pics on StyleBlazer.com.

Source: The Frisky

When your money isn’t funny, you’d be surprised how much you’ll spend on clothes, shoes and accessories just because you can. You might dole out more than $100 on something just for name on the label or for something you might only wear a few times a year. But when money is tight, you can’t shop on ShopStyle, Topshop or Urban Outfitters like you used to, or spend all day in the mall shopping like you don’t have bills to pay. Thrifting is something that many women (and men) have done; from purchasing dresses, old VHS tapes, and even rotary phones- everyone loves nostalgia. But everyone loves a good deal too! Here are some reasons why I love thrifting, and you should give it a shot too.

Clearly, it saves you money
While you get a ton of deals through Groupon and emails from your favorite stores, nothing beats the feeling of walking out of a store with six fun and flirty blouses that you didn’t pay more than $20 for altogether. According to a study in 2010 by Black Men in America, African Americans spend about 29.3 billion a year in apparel and similar products. Also, most high quality shirts run about $50-60 dollars a piece, so why not take the opportunity to save a couple of thousand a year??

The clothes can be better quality than many major retailers
When you’re looking through the racks at your favorite store, the last thing you want to see is deodorant or any other obvious wear and tear on a virtually “new” item. When items are donated to places like Goodwill, Value Village or smaller stores like Rag-O-Rama, they’re thoroughly cleaned and some are even new items that were discontinued at national stores.

Helps you build on your own style
When it comes to thrifting, I noticed that you can look at almost every era within one rack of clothes. You can also see what was popular at the time and find new ways to spin an old idea. Fashion is all about telling a story- so why not tell yours? When leaning the history of some of my favorite shirts and pleated skirts, I’m able to build my own identity and show my personality through my clothes. You can also create a new style for yourself and it can even inspire other people!

Also helps you ignore the major trends
You don’t have to wear those skin tight leggings, miniskirts and lace-graphic T-shirts to be hip or cool. Most trends are repeats of fashion’s not-so-cute past, and just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s going to look good on everyone. On top of that, just because something is hot now doesn’t mean you won’t reach for it a few months down the line with a look of shame and confusion on something that quickly went out of style. Thrift stores have a variety of pieces that you can make timeless or bring back from the vintage dead, so the young’ns can hold on to the neon colored looks and bandage dresses.

If you haven’t been shopping in a few months, then you probably didn’t get the memo or notice that peplum dresses are the hottest trend out there right now. Classy and cute, these pieces can be great looks for work, for fun, and even special occasions. It just matters how long your skirt is and how flirtatious and fun your peplum detail is as well. We’ve compiled a few printed, pastel colored and creative dresses adorned with a peplum waist for your viewing pleasure. And even if you don’t buy from these exact retailers, I’m sure they’ll cause you to be on the lookout during your next shopping excursion. Enjoy!

Source: ASOS

The “Oh My Love” Jersey Peplum Dress: ASOS – $60.88

Got a party to attend? Looking to turn heads? Well baby, you’ll be killing two birds with one stone in this mint-colored dress from the good folks at ASOS. With mesh detailing at the top that helps you play a little game of peek-a-boo, and cut-outs on the side that show off your waist, you’ll be giving a bit of fun and flirty to all those staring. Can’t forget to shout out the full flared peplum frill around the waist. This color is to die for by the way…

Source: blackisblack.ca

When I was younger, I once told my friends I wouldn’t change the way I dressed. I exclaimed, “I’m gonna rock Pepe all the time.” Thank goodness I grew up. Part of fashion is growth and exploring different styles, but what happens when we reverse the cycle? We have moms who hide in the clearance section in Forever 21 and at Pink in Victoria’s Secret, and fifteen year olds who shop at Cato. The reversal is both ways and here are a few ways to help you step your style up and still look age appropriate.

• Don’t look for size, look for fit: When you normally go shopping, you’re probably looking for something your size. Take into consideration that different brands run either smaller, true to size or larger. It all depends on the demographic that they’re catering to. For instance, H&M blouses run small along with PacSun clothes (every time I’m in those stores I always see older women shopping).  Also, many brands are going for the “bigger is better” look right now, selling blouses and tunics that are meant to be worn loosely, so it really doesn’t matter what size you get because they’re all going to be big! Before you assume something is too big or too small for you, it doesn’t hurt to make a date with the dressing room first to get a dose of reality.

• Realize that you’re getting older: This isn’t a slap in the face, just a little reminder that you aren’t 17 anymore. The things you wore in your heyday won’t explain the life you live today. Once you see that, you will start to explore different types of clothes and styles.  Remember, just because those Real Housewives of Whatever wear those skin-tight party dresses, that doesn’t mean you should. In fact, they have editors, producers, and really good makeup artists to hide what they’re really looking like, so don’t make a fool of yourself.

• Buy for quality, not for quantity: We all love a good bargain, but sometimes we have to spend a little more to get longevity in our clothes. Also, most of the clothes seen on the clearance racks are either out of season or just extra stuff that just didn’t sell. There is always a reason it’s there. So just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean that it’s something you have to add to your collection of clothing. Sales in department stores happen almost every other weekend, so sign up for email alerts and get apps like Mobo, Weekly Ads and Sales, or your favorite retailer’s applications so that you can get things that are made better and look better for less.

• Ignore Fashion Trends: The best thing you can do to avoid being that mom at parent-teacher conferences in sequins and skinny jeans is to ignore fashion trends. I know this sounds cliché, but it’s the truth! We wear what we want to express ourselves and that’s just spiffy, but when you follow a trend you’re not expressing how you feel, but how everyone feels. Plus, spending money on what’s cute right now but might go out of style a few months from now is not really a good look for your style, or your wallet, is it?

All in all, you can do whatever you want. Just because you get older doesn’t mean you have to put on turtlenecks and start searching for orthopedic shoes, but dressing like a teenager in a Justin Bieber video or overdressing to look older isn’t all that good of an idea. Don’t be afraid to grow up and step up your style.

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(Wall Street Journal) – Sears Holdings Corp., saddled with extra space in its cavernous Sears department stores, is joining with hot fashion chain Forever 21 to expand the store-within-a-store concept.

The move is among the most aggressive merchandising steps Sears has taken since hedge fund manager Edward Lampert took over the retailer five years ago.

Under the initiative, Forever 21 will take about 15% of the space in a Sears store in Costa Mesa, Calif., with the opening expected this spring. Sears declined to disclose the terms of the lease agreement.

The move will give Sears rental revenue and also supply some much-needed fashion pizzazz for the retailer, which has been trying for years to make its apparel business, especially for young women, more appealing

Read More…

Through ‘Weekly Wardrobe,’ we’ll give you some great ideas about what colors and pieces to wear for the week, hopefully making your life a whole lot easier…

This week we are inspired by Zoe Saldana. She is famous for her out of this world roles in “Star Trek” and “Avatar,” but her personal fashion style is anything but spacey. She compliments her slim shape with skinny pants, tailored jackets and the highest of heels, for easy, sleek, polished perfection.

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I love a good romper! Maybe it’s the baby in me, but they’re simple. Instead of spending tons of time before work trying to coordinate what’s clean with what top and bottom matches, I just throw on a romper and roll out! Don’t feel like crossing your legs in a dress? No worries, just throw on that pant romper and you’ve got an instant ensemble.

The joys of rompers (aka jumpsuits) are endless and the fashion community has latched on to them this summer season. Because we’re fashion drones, we have a slideshow of our favorite rompers listed by price.

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