There are plenty of personalized shopping clubs to choose from these days, but we are particularly obsessed with Little Black Bag, a brand new site that incorporates shopping with gaming—in a very exciting way. Here is how it works: First, you take a style quiz that will help determine your fashion personality. Based on the results of the quiz, you will be directed to a personalized product gallery where you will choose an item to put in your little black bag. From there, you’ll receive 1-3 more items, chosen by the LBB team. The products are guaranteed to be worth at least $100, but you will pay just $49.95 for the entire bag. Of course, it can be disconcerting to receive a mystery bag of items, but luckily you have one week to “swap” items before your bag is shipped. Exciting, right? Check out the site at LittleBlackBag.com.
Need to find a dress for a wedding, stat? Looking for the perfect shoes for your next cocktail party? Send your shopping dilemmas our way! Our new, weekly Personal Shopper section will do the legwork for you, offering up a slew of options to solve your fashion woes. Simply send your questions to shopper@mamasarollingstone.com.
This week: I am looking for a comfortable, casual-yet-stylish hat to wear—for spring/summer, or anytime—that will widen my face. I have a large forehead and very small chin and I would like to make my face look wider and less long! Could you please clue me in to the types of hats I should be looking for and the online stores that carry them? – Anna.
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Ashley Greene graces the cover of Lucky magazine’s March 2012 issue—the spring issue—wearing a Mulberry top and a Dolce & Gabbana skirt. Inside, she discusses being insecure as a child and learning to run in heels.
On being insecure as a child: “My mother put me in modeling classes because I had low self-esteem,” Greene says. “I was friends with older people, so I was always around someone more mature who boys responded to. I think that kind of messed with me.”
On running in heels: “When I took the modeling classes in Florida, they had us walk in crazy heels and do the whole runway thing. And actually?” Greene says, laughing. “That’s been very helpful, because I can walk and run in pretty much anything! And they will have you run in heels in films, as ridiculous as it sounds.”
Also inside the March 2012 issue: a guide to budget-friendly hair and skin products and a spring fashion report. For more, pick up the issue when it arrives on newsstands on February 7 or head to LuckyMag.com.
Free People is definitely starting the new year with a bang. The January catalog featured model-of-the-moment Karlie Kloss and today we have images of the February catalog, which features another major star—Danish model Freja Beha Erichsen. In the catalog, Freja stars as five different Free People girls: Candy is a girly-girl who loves lace and crochet; Ginger is a party girl; Lou is a tomboy; Meadow is a free-spirited bohemian; and Molly is a modern girl with a retro vibe. And if these images of Freja weren’t exciting enough for you, you can also check out a behind-the-scenes video from the set, with music from Mal Blum. On that note, click inside to see the images and watch the video, or head to FreePeople.com to shop the catalog.
More images inside!
Mara Hoffman, the designer known for her wildly colorful swimsuit designs, among other things, has just relaunched her website. The new site now offers an online store, where you can purchase pieces from the current collection as well as a selection of styles exclusive to the new Mara Hoffman site. In other words, this is your chance to stand out next time you hit the beach. To celebrate this exciting venture, Mara enlisted photographer Olivia Malone to create a series of amazing images featuring the resort 2012 swim collection. As you can see above, the images are pretty intense, which is exactly what Mara hoped for: “We were going for something rich with ceremony and sexy yin witchery, pulling references from Cuban and Caribbean environments.” To check out the rest of the images, click inside, or head to MaraHoffman.com to preview the store.
More images inside!
Yesterday, you saw Free People’s New York-themed January 2012 catalog, and today we have a look at its counterpart, the Los Angeles-themed catalog, which stars Australian model Jessica Hart in an array of bright Californian locations. As for the clothes, they have an easy, breezy vibe. Key looks include: a floral kimono paired with denim cut-off shorts; a worn-in graphic tee coupled with patchwork denim flares; a breezy boho top teamed with a printed headband; wide-leg pants paired with a vintage-inspired tee; and a draped crochet sun dress. Items from the Los Angeles-themed January 2012 catalog are available now at Free People stores, as well as online at FreePeople.com. Click inside for more images.
More images inside!
Spring collections are arriving at high-speed! The latest spring 2012 collection to pop up on our radar is from Urban Outfitters, and as one might expect, it contains an assorted mix of items. Specifically? There are colorful ombre tees, brightly-colored jeans, printed espadrilles, floral flatform wedges, studded purses, 80s-inspired patterned leggings, graphic tees, geo-print bandage dresses, printed backpacks and pouches, chambray button-downs, and rainbow sweaters. And to add to the hipster-heavy vibe, the catalog is set against a Brooklyn backdrop. The spring 2012 collection is available now in Urban Outfitters stores, as well as online at UrbanOutfitters.com. Click inside for more images.
More images inside!
Karlie Kloss is kicking off the new year with a bang, starring in Free People’s New York-themed January 2012 catalog. In the images, Karlie is spotted out and about in the city, in images that definitely evoke the quintessential New Yorker—including walking a pack of fluffy dogs, buying flowers from a vendor, posing alongside a person dressed as the Statue of Liberty, sitting beside a hot dog cart, taking the subway, hailing a yellow cab, eating a pretzel, and basking in the humid summer sun. But if New York isn’t your speed, stay tuned for images from Free People’s Los Angeles-themed January 2012 catalog. If it is your speed, items from the New York-themed January 2012 catalog are available now at Free People stores, as well as online at FreePeople.com. Click inside for more images.
More images inside!
Elizabeth Banks graces the cover of Lucky magazine’s February 2012 issue wearing a Stella McCartney dress. Inside, she discusses fashion, shoes, and vintage clothing.
On fashion: “I was kind of late to the party,” Banks explains. “I mean, I have always appreciated fashion. But I’m a girl who loves a bargain. I’ll shop at Forever 21 and H&M.” Online she loves Net-a-Porter and the discount-designer site gilt.com. As long as she doesn’t have to pay retail, she says, she’s there.”
On shoes: “I love Prada shoes. I cannot get enough of them,” she says. “Or Valentino. I wore gold-studded Valentinos at the shoot today—they were amazing. I’m always impressed by the craftsmanship and beauty of shoes.”
On vintage: “I recently got a YSL clutch and DKNY booties from Sweet As Vintage. It’s the ‘reuse, reduce, recycle’ mentality applied to ?high fashion!”
Also inside the February 2012 issue: a guide to flawless skin and a spring trend guide. For more, pick up the issue when it arrives on newsstands on January 10 or head to LuckyMag.com.
Imagine you are in a luxury mall, heading from the Emanuel Ungaro boutique to the Preen boutique, before heading to the Philip Lim store. While it sounds enticing, it can be exhausting, which is why the latest online store to pop up on our radar—Avenue 32—is so intriguing. Consider Avenue 32 a virtual mall. The site features mini-boutiques for each of its designers—from Preen to Thakoon—allowing customers to take in only what they are interested in and nothing more. Of course, if you are not sure what you are looking for, you can also shop by category and sub-category. Considering Avenue 32 has former Browns buying director Erin Mullaney at the helm, it is worth a look for that accolade alone! Check out the site by heading to Avenue32.com.
