Google Takes Over Fashion

With Google slowly taking over the world, we should have seen it coming in the Fashion one. Google made headlines today with the launch of Boutiques.com, intended to reinvent fashion on the web and match you with your perfect style.

Start with one style and the rest are chosen by Google's brilliant algorithms. You can shop in all sorts of "boutiques" from designers and celebrities to bloggers and retailers.

You can save pieces and make your own "boutique" that others can see as well as 'love' or 'hate' a piece by an easy click of a button below each one. Much like Twitter, you can also follow users and see what collages they are putting together. If you thought shopping with your best friend was not enough, now you have thousands of other users to shop and engage with. It's iFashion at its finest.

www.boutiques.com

Bisoux,
PLC

Royal Fashion and Crumpets

It's no surprise that Kate Middleton and Prince William are engaged but here's the question we are all asking ourselves: Who will design her dress?!

It seems that Kate is the simple type and will prefer less than more for her dress. For the official engagement photos after the announcement, Kate was not only sporting Princess Diana's engagement ring but a beautiful, simple, royal blue, London based Issa dress (check out the label here: http://issalondon.com ) and of course speculations are that Issa will be her wedding dress as well?

After peeking at her website, I must say I like what I see already, and not to mention her website design is pretty fun too (that's the marketing nerd in me).

People.com predicted other possible choices: "Stella McCartney is seen as the next likeliest choice, at odds of 4-to-1, followed by other British designers Julien Macdonald (6-to-1), Vivienne Westwood (8-to-1), John Galliano (14-to-1) and Paul Smith (16-to-1). Grouped together at 20-to-1 odds are Giorgio Armani, Vera Wang and Versace."


All great choices, including my personal favorite: Vera Wang. Looks like the new princess has some deciding to do but regardless of what she picks, it will be a royal scene.

Bisoux,
PLC

iFashion

I finally understand what it is like to have information streamed right to you. Yesterday I put away my tiny flip phone and made the long awaited jump into the world of smartphones. My shiny new black iPhone is now my information sidekick.

Of course one of the first things you do upon obtaining an iPhone is to download applications and how could we not discuss some of the great fashion ones out there.


Sartorialist 
Perfect for your morning dosage of fashion on the streets of the world. This app features up to 35 of the most recent photographs from the blog and allows you to share on facebook or save on your phone. Simple but just enough.

Vogue Stylist
On the homepage you are able to skim through tastefully placed advertisements and click on them to virtually experience the products. If Vogue had no editorial content it would be just this. It also allows you to shop by trends and see outfits that have been pulled together within each. For those who always wanted their wadrobe at their fingertips, the Vogue app wardrobe feature allows you to take a photo of your item and tag it with details such as type,season,brand, color. Now your closet is fully searchable.

Style.com
This app is your one stop shop for videos, coverage of the fashion shows and parties and the latest news on the Style File Blog. All designers are listed alphabetically under the latest shows, making it that much easier to see each runway show at the tap of a button. Definitely my favorite feature.

Gilt Groupe
Perhaps you are still waiting to be accepted in what has become the exclusive Gilt Group for killer deals on top designers. This iPhone app is almost easier to navigate than the website itself. The homepage features active and upcoming sales and the exact date and time they expire. You can preview upcoming sales, shop and fill your cart and even invite your friends to apply for the Gilt Group.

I'm off to continue searching fashion applications, hoping to find some little treasures among the sea of the Apple app store. If you find any let me know!


Bisoux,

PLC

Tie My Tee Please

Bonjour!

 There's nothing like a beautiful, crisp Sunday in San Francisco to explore boutiques and dig through their treasures. Took a stroll and stumbled upon this tee by Alkemy that I knew would be perfect for my little brother. Saw it the second I walked in, draped over the shelf next to the jeans. Definitely a unique approach to the graphic tee and the shoe strings can be pulled through so that the shoes appear to hang from your neck. Pretty cool idea! At least let's hope so for a 16 year old.

 Of course, you can't explore without finding a little treasure of your own. Found this pair of boho capris by Elicia on the sale rack in this cute little boutique called Marmalade; www.marmaladesf.com. These pants are not only funky but super comfortable! Don't be intimidated by its shape, throw on your favorite white cotton tee, add on a scarf or long necklace, slip into some kitten heels and you're all set!

Bisoux,
PLC

Bonjour!

Fashion is often described as a form of self expression and after a day spent in the corner of Barnes & Noble, deep in the fashion books under the Art section, it is obvious we are individually contributing to the scene. No longer do designers fill their wine glasses, light their cigarette and design in the darkness of their studio without turning their heads to the window and bringing in the outside.

Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist says he photographs those on the street who aren't necessarily extravagant but catch his eye in some way. He lets the photo tell the story. I must have spent an hour sitting with the awkwardly small book in hand. You can get lost in his book of images, dreaming of the stories behind each outfit. I'm definitely going back for that one.

Wine night with the roomies and a Lady Gaga special on TV. When asked about her concerts: "It's a place where people get wasted and make art and meet each other."

Let's hope Pretty Little Crumpet becomes just that.

Bisoux,

PLC