Happy 4th of July!

Tank: F21
Flannel: Urban Outfitters
Shirt-as-skirt: Gap

Happy Independence Day to all of my American readers!! What are you all up to today? I'll be barbecuing with the BF, drinking too much, and watching the big fireworks show downtown. And hopefully taking a ton of pictures. Enjoy yourself!

Wildfox Couture Giveaway!

Happy 4th of July weekend to all my American friends! In celebration of the holidays, Breakfast at Saks and Chick Downtown have teamed up to give one of you fabulous readers a Wildfox Couture Love Potion #9 tee! Retailing for $64, this tee features "ultra-smooth jersey cut into an easy-to-wear silhouette and garment washed for softness and a lightly distressed, vintage appeal."

I'm a huge fan of Wildfox Couture tees, as are Alessandra Ambrosio, Ashley Tisdale, and all of The Hills girls. Want to know how to get your hands on one? Just visit Chick Downtown's website and tell me which pair of Genetic Denim jeans you would pair with this tee and why? This contest will run for 2 weeks, so it will end July 17th and I'll announce the winner that following weekend!

One more thing, this giveaway is only good for those living in the US - I promise to have contests for my international readers soon!

Be sure to check out Chick Downtown on Facebook and Twitter for news, sales, coupons, and more!

Links à la Mode

• Bobbins And Bombshells: – finds the perfect vintage items for a picnic!
• Bonne Vie: – Jesica Milton – a few quick questions with a local designer (and some down to earth advice for aspiring fashion designers)
• Breakfast at Saks: – interviews Dana-Maxx about Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs, and her new F/W collection “Sex, Love, and Heartbreak”
• Clutch 22: – Exclusive sneak peek at I Heart Norwegian Wood for Shrimpton Couture collection!
• Daisy Fairbanks: – Farewell to Farrah, Style Icon
• Debutante Clothing: – Sail Away with Vintage Sailboat finds
• Dramatis Personae: – shares the Alice & Isa Boutique, showcasing the best of independent San Francisco designers.
• Fabulous Finds and Co.: – Glam rock gals that have a serious talent in spotting the latest trends and creating them.
• Fashion Fight Club: – New Legal Troubles for Forever 21 and the Bill Status of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act
• Fashion Is the Best Medicine: – Revisiting some of the trends Michael Jackson started, and no, they’re not exclusively fashion trends.
• Fasshonaburu: – Afraid of losing your job? Boost job security by builidng your work wardrobe!
• fête à fête: – Take care of your skin – organic sun care from Juice Beauty
• Mademoiselle Robot: – The Summer holidays are here so I compiled some useful packing tips!
• Mystery Creature: – Getting inspired – can work-wear look cool?
• Retro Chick: – Something Old Something New: Oxfam launches DIY competition with celebrity stylist Mrs Jones
• Style Symmetry: – Going Make Up Less in support of all womens natural beauty!
• Super Kawaii Mama: – The Fabulous World of the Himegyaru
• The Coveted: – Win a par of We Love Colors Tights!
• The Demoiselles: – Calling all extremists! Jennifer Nicole tells us all why, in fashion, being “normal” is a bad thing.
• Think Thru Fashion: – Farrah Fawcett’s Fashion Lives On: Spring trends reflect the iconic 70s style of the Charlie’s Angels actress.
• Work Chic: – We show how you can incorporate vintage dresses into your work attire with our new video style series!

ALEX&RA

Alexandra Cipparone of ALEX&RA is a West Coast girl through and through. She grew up in San Diego, went to school in Berkeley, and now lives in San Francisco, and her designs reflect that laid-back California girl style. Alexandra designs skirts and dresses inspired by the California neighborhoods she has lived in. She explains that "Each neighborhood has a story to tell and by creating collections for each of them, I hope to communicate that remarkable diversity to the world."

The first collection Alexandra designed for ALEX&RA was the Broadway collection, inspired by her neighborhood in Pacific Heights, specifically Broadway Avenue. "The mix of architecture on this street is incredibly fascinating to me because these blocks represent such a rich history of San Francisco. The style here is ornate, but refined, a little bit intimidating, but welcoming as well. I tried to mimic these dichotomies in this collection, first and foremost with my choice of materials." ALEX&RA's second collection, the Marina collection, was inspired by the Marina neighborhood down the hill from where she currently lives. "It’s an inspiring area, alive with youth and beauty. Of course there are a lot of restaurants and bars there, but I went even further down the hill to the water. When you stand there, even for just a minute, you can’t help but be overtaken by this city. Never mind the crowds, you are surrounded by natural wonder with the blue water right before you and the Golden Gate bridge gleaming in the distance. It blows you away." Alexandra spoke with me about why she decided to be a fashion designer, what inspires her, and where she plans to take ALEX&RA in the next few seasons - read on!

When did you first decide you wanted to be a fashion designer?
I found my love for fashion design in high school. I was always cutting up club t-shirts and making them into cute tube tops and off-the-shoulder tops. I'd even embellish them with all sorts of gems. I guess I just saw them as blank canvases and used my creativity to stand out from the rest.

What was the first item you ever sold?
The first item I ever sold was a custom designed Prom dress for a friend in high school. It was a wonderful project and turned out really well!

What did you learn about selling your designs through Etsy, and what made you decide to open your own website to sell through?
Etsy is a great place to sell handmade goods. I learned a lot about the value of customer service and good communication. Both sellers and buyers are supportive and encouraged me a lot throughout the past few months. I am so thankful for being introduced to it! The reason I decided to open my own shop was to connect more closely with my customers. I want the identity of my brand to be how people remember my line, so it was important to me to establish that online presence. So far it has proved to be a great step! My customers now have direct access to my collections and can easily learn more about me and my line.

Where do you find inspiration from in your designs?
I am inspired by so much! First and foremost, I am inspired by the city of San Francisco. It is a remarkable place alive with culture and diversity. Every street has a story to tell. Every person has something unique to admire. Even a short stroll around the city gives me so many great ideas to work with! I am also largely influenced by art and vintage design. I think they give my line a unique feeling of history and permanence - not simply a trend for the season.

What has been your favorite piece you have designed?
My favorite piece that I have designed so far has to be the Black Pencil Dress with Ruffles. I love how understated the dress seems at first, but then when you put it on you are just overwhelmed by how amazing it makes you feel. It's flirty, super feminine, and easy to wear. I would wear it every day if I could!

What type of girl do you envision wearing your designs?
The type of girl I envision wearing my designs is hard to say. I think my work appeals to a wide range of people - the younger crowd, the business crowd, the party girls, the students etc. That's what I love most about my line. What they have in common is their appreciation for handmade, high-quality work and the importance of staying unique. So much of fashion these days is duplicated, comes in a million different colors, and is worn by everyone on the street. My line is for the girls who want something of their own, something just for them.

Can you share a little about where you plan to take your line in the next few seasons? Any particular colors/fabrics/shapes you want to work with?

My next collection will be based on all the beautiful summer days spent in Golden Gate Park. It will include more dresses and more intricate skirts. My customers have responded really well to volume and detail, so I will definitely continue on that route. I am excited to work with more cottons and especially floral prints. It will be a very feminine collection to take my girls from summer into early fall. Keep checking back to my website for more updates!

If you are a California girl at heart, or you just want to get your hands on some amazingly designed skirts and dresses, ALEX&RA is the place to go! Shop at the ALEX&RA website, or the ALEX&RA etsy store.

D.O.A.

Thank you for killing auto-tune, it was about time. But lets be real, you aren't gonna score on Lebron James. Seriously.

Shop It To Me baby!

Ready to save a few hours every week? Shop It To Me will do that for you! Shop It To Me is an online personal shopper that works for you to find sales on all of your favorite designers. How it works is that you select your favorite designers (Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth & James, Nine West, etc.), what types of clothing/accessories/shoes you are interested in, and your size, and Shop It To Me will scour the internet looking for the best sales on those designers in your size! You will then receive Salemails informing you about the sales, and you can select how often you want to receive these emails - if you're a shopaholic like me, daily is best, but you can also select weekly or biweekly. Shop It To Me is absolutely free, so what are you waiting for? Sign up here!

Currently Craving: Weekend Warrior

1. MinkPink Donna Bustier Dress
2. Sweet Life by Dolce Vita Peeptoe Boots
3. PRPS Black Splatter Shorts
4. Wildfox Demolition Derby tee
5. We The Free Open Back Fringe Dress
6. Nasty Gal Spike Cuff

If I had a steady income right now, this would be my weekend wardrobe... but alas, job searching continues. Have a great weekend everybody!