This past week was a whirlwind and between the Sonas Denim launch party and doing some really fun work with Ajent, I was honored to attend two events that featured clothes from The Factory and jewelry from Sasha Maks Vintage.
I’ll let the pretty pictures do the talking!










Stunning, no? Even if you’re not in the Bay Area you can still indulge in these lovely pieces, the clothes AND the baubles can be shopped online. And be sure to keep an eye out for the Sonas Denim kickstarter video out next week!
Like this:
Like Loading...
June 8, 2013 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: Blogger, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Jeans, Retro, San Francisco, San Francisco Fashion, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sonas Denim, The Factory, vintage | 8 Comments
I love the holidays – don’t get me wrong – but usually by mid-December I run out of steam & all I can do is day-dream about sleeping in, weekends without holiday parties & social obligations, or just taking a vacation from my non-stop life in general. And this year has been no different – However I found that I did a much better job of staying on top of my responsibilities this year so here are some photos of the fun things that kept me in the holiday spirit throughout November & December!

{I may not have made it out for the Christmas tree lighting – But I’ve made it to Union Square to take pictures in front of the giant tree not once, but twice this year. A+!}

{Shopping – online & in-stores – has been a major part of my life the last month or so. From Christmas presents to host & hostess gifts to completely unnecessary additions to my wardrobe.}

{Related to the shopping issues is the “attending events held IN shops” part of the last few months – From swoon worthy vintage jewelry trunk shows to Marrakech-inspired clothing lines that’ll make you yearn for Spring.}

{I was especially excited to attend the Harputs presents Camille K trunk show because it gave me a great opportunity to check out smaller, local clothing & jewelry shops.}

{An amazing visit to the Mountain View atelier for the fabulous vintage jewelry shop Camille K – Stay tuned for another solo post on this amazing trip!}
I’m looking forward to seeing what January has to hold for me though and I’m also looking forward to sharing the fun details with all of you as well!
Like this:
Like Loading...
December 26, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Camille K, Evans Group, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall Style, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fall/Winter, Fall/Winter 2012/2013, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, Harputs, Marrakech, Mr. Essentialist, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, San Francisco vintage shopping, San Francisco vintage shops, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, SF, SF Blogger, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, SF Vintage Shop, SF Vintage Shopping, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Styling, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, Union Square, Voyage to Marrakech, Winter, winter accessories, Winter clothes, Winter fashion, Winter Style, Winter styling, Winter trends | 4 Comments
A big Thank You to The Factory and The Evans Group for the unbelievable trip to Marrakech last week – Who knew that in the streets of SOMA you could escape to the market stalls of exotic Morocco?
Voyage To Marrakech is an evening inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s glamorous 1970’s lifestyle in Moroco to showcase their Spring 2013 Collection. An illuminated nighttime Marrakech marketplace, with cocktails, food, and music, and live photoshoot presentation, featuring live vignettes inspired by iconic YSL iconic photographs.

Stylish San Franciscans flocked to our own personal Marrakech last week to celebrate The Factory’s new collection inspired by the love affaire that YSL had with Marrakech.

{The looks that evening ran the gamut from ultra modern to vintage inspired to came-straight-from-the-office}

{Cocktails, mannequins sporting Yves Saint Laurent-inspired frocks, friends reuniting, fortune tellers…}

{And the models showed off a phenomenal Spring 2013 collection filled with sleek, shimmering fabrics, vintage patterns & prints, luxurious metallics, faux fur, relaxed silhouettes, and fun accessories}

{I wore a long-sleeved, high-neck vintage shift dress, Zara ankle strap heels, and a fabulous gold necklace from Sasha Maks Vintage}
{Check out more photographs from this event here – Just log into Facebook to view}
This was the fifth event that I’ve had the honor of attending at The Factory, check out my posts on the previous events below:
Like this:
Like Loading...
November 21, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, Moroccan market, Morocco, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Present giving, Presents, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco Designer, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show, Secret Santa, Secret Santa Gift, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Blogger, SF Designer, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, Shift dress, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA designer, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, SOMA Shopping, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Styling, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, The Factory Presents April Howard, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, trunk show, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, Vintage elephant necklace, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage gold necklace, Vintage inspired, vintage inspired fashion, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, vintage pearls, vintage shift, vintage shift dress, WWD, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara heels, Zara Skirt | 5 Comments
This outfit is an oldie, but a goodie!
Things have been so hectic and non-stop since the beginning of September that I never got a chance to share with you the outfit that I put together for the pre-Fashion Week Fashion Mixer at The Factory in lovely SOMA.

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Floral Blazer – Pim + Larkin from Piperlime, Pleated Black Mini – Zara (one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, true story), Ankle Booties – Rebecca Minkoff from Shopbop.com, Floral Top – Anthropologie, and Jewelry – All from Sasha Maks Vintage}

{You can view this outfit on both Lookbook.nu and Pose}

{Check out more outtakes from this shoot here – just log into Facebook to view}
Despite the fact that I put this outfit together over a month ago it actually looks pretty Fall-ready with the black accents and these too cute Rebecca Minkoff booties. I love wearing skirts and dresses during the Fall with layers on top and cute tights on the bottom. I’ve got a pair of black & grey skull-print tights that are in my closet begging to be worn!
Do you like printed or colorful blazers? Are you strictly a pants person once the weather turns colder or do you like to wear skirts & dresses in the Fall?
Like this:
Like Loading...
October 23, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 3 Comments
Every season I’m at a loss as to how I should approach the fashion show reviews. There are so many that I don’t know where to start, how many I should try to review, or how to justify which shows I choose over others. It’s oddly stressful considering I’m sitting in front of my laptop in San Francisco and NOT running around the cobblestone streets of New York City in stilettos with a 50 lbs handbag.
So this season I have come up with a plan of attack. I’m going to publish four separate pieces for New York Fashion Week:
- The NYFW Institutions – i.e. Oscar de la Renta, Diane Von Furstenberg & Carolina Herrera
- The more reasonably priced or secondary designer lines – i.e. J.Crew, MARC by Marc Jacobs & Alice+Olivia
- New up & coming brands that I’m just discovering or which are new to the tents – i.e. Z Spole by Zac Posen, Thakoon Addition & Victoria by Victoria Beckham
- And finally the street style & front row fashion of the NYFW attendees
So without further ado – Welcome to the fabulous runway fashion of the New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear shows:
BCBG Max Azria:
This collection was an interesting juxtaposition of hard against soft. The dresses all had a harness-like construction on the bodice, evoking a tough, bad-girl vibe that contrasted with the softer colors and flowing silhouettes.

Black, white, grey, and coral were the colors de jour and all the looks were paired with a wide ankle strap adorned heel in black or white. The fitted, midi and maxi-length skirts were equipped with high slits in the thin, wispy floral, lace, and paisley prints, making them utterly perfect for hot summer nights.
Peter Som:
This sweet collection was filled with great prints, bright colors and pastels, florals, flowy silhouettes and just a touch of lace. It was structured and well put together, but relaxed and fun – New York City girl meets boho chic.

The prints were chic and I loved the cropped pants – of course – and the hippie vibe throughout. I don’t think that I can say it any better than The Man Repeller: “Peter Som is punk rock tea party infused with tigers and ponies.”
Derek Lam:
I heard the phrase “sporty luxury” to describe Derek Lam and couldn’t get it out of my head – That’s the perfect description for this master of chic sportswear and exquisite tailoring. These clothes were modern and chic, I can easily picture them on streets all over the world.

Interesting fabrics and textures, bold prints, and slouchy silhouettes were the hallmarks here. Knee-length skirts and sheath dresses in brightly colored leather, all-over geometric prints, separates, and the retro-inspired midriff baring tops that were all over the runways in New York all made an appearance.
Calvin Klein:
The collection that Francisco Costa presented may have been primarily black and white but it was a far cry from boring. And a far cry from the slinky pastel numbers favored by Hollywood starlets on the red carpet last season.

These looks were sleek, body conscious, and strikingly sexy with dramatic cuts and a variety of reach-out-and-touch-them fabrics and textures including lace, satin, mesh, and leather. No florals or pastels for the Calvin Klein girl this coming Spring, she’ll be breaking out killer heels and wowing everyone with her confidence and daring.
Ralph Lauren:
The Ralph Lauren show was a combination of make-believe and reality. There were costume-like pieces inspired by Spain and Latin America – fringe, matador jackets, and ponchos – and there were chic, wearable pieces that I’m sure we’ll be seeing soon on the red carpets and sidewalks of Hollywood.

I absolutely loved the flowing, ruffle-adorned maxi dresses and skirts in stripes and bright florals, as well as the vaguely Parisian looking prim A-line skirts paired with fitted jackets, and the double-breasted, oversized suits with dramatic shoulders.
Ole!
Thakoon:
If I had to pick a single word to describe the Spring 2013 collection presented by Thakoon it would be beautiful. The cuts & silhouettes were flattering, the fabric & textures were interesting, and the prints & details were nothing short of divine.

From pretty, colorful, whimsical prints for daytime outings to daring but still utterly chic lace, eyelet, and sheer fabrics for nighttime.

A collection like this one really illustrates the difference between a designer like Thakoon and one like Lee McQueen – While I’d call them both artists the wearability of a collection like this one is unparalleled. I wait with bated breathe for the McQueen shows and gasp at the artistry and showmanship, but I can picture every single piece of this collection in my wardrobe, not something most of us mere mortals can say about McQueen.
Diane Von Furstenberg:
Who knew being a techie could be so darn stylish? DVF went geek chic this season and sent her girls down the runway in brilliant colors, prints, and flowing caftans paired with the brand new Google Glasses.

Glasses aside this collection had a classic DVF feel – Great 70’s styles & prints, flowing silhouettes that would be right at home in Saint Tropez or Marrakech, and eye-catching accessories like oversized earrings, brightly colored sunglasses, and matchy-matchy handbags. The whole collection had a delicious retro vibe that made me nostalgic for the heyday of Miss Diane herself.
Victoria Beckham:
I always look forward to the Victoria Beckham show, I adore her personal style and that chic, timeless style always shows up in her collections. And while I love – and would die to own – all of her sexy, second skin sheath dresses, I was thrilled by the amount of separates and slightly less body conscious pieces that she sent down the runway for Spring.

Everything was still sleek and sexy, with little color or prints per her usual aesthetic, but somewhat more relatable for the non-Hollywood set. I especially liked the A-line skirts and high-necklines, and the black, white, and the brilliant orange color scheme suited the austerity of the designs.
Well done!
Tommy Hilfiger:
Stripes! Stripes! Stripes! But we’re not talking about your basic, boring stripes for Spring, these are chic, retro stripes adorning flowing suits, maxi dresses, and separates in red, white, and navy.

The devil was in the details of this collection – The drama of a double-breasted, oversized suit jacket, delicate chevron prints, bright piping on a two-toned blazer, contrasting denim on denim pockets, thick weave cable knit sweaters, gold rope detailing, and flowy silk shirt-dresses. You’ve got to admit, nothing says All-American quite like Tommy Hilfiger.
Jason Wu:
Jason Wu may be best know for dressing Michelle Obama, but when a runway show starts with Carolyn Murphy strutting her stuff in a black leather mini dress you know the collection is heading in a different direction than usual.

While the primarily black & white collection was filled with leather & lace, his red lipped models also wore some killer separates and pieces with exquisite tailoring. But even the prim looks amped up the sexiness with mesh, sheer panels, studs and animal prints.
Donna Karan:
City girl Donna Karan presented an unusually soft and sweet collection pulling inspiration from the ballet which gave the pieces ethereal undertones that were further emphasized by the pale color palette.

The soft, gauzy looking fabrics, flattering drapping, sweater-sets, and pastel satins were sugary sweet and picture perfect for good-girl actresses like Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Greene, or Nicole Kidman. Among the draping and flowing fabrics were two numbers that caught my eye though – A sharp white sheath dress with a matching cropped jacket and a sexy sheer panelled navy gown perfect for a siren like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley during her next red carpet appearance.
Zac Posen:
Calling all supermodels!

The Zac Posen show was the place to be when the audience was surprised by Naomi Campbell, Angela Lindvall, Karolina Kurkova, and Coco Rocha all hitting the catwalk in his gorgeous, retro-inspired designs.

The dresses were phenomenal – From floral fifties inspired day dresses with sweetheart necklines to second-skin suits with his trademark dramatic bodice cuts, to sleek gowns in satins, florals, and chiffons. I could picture the likes of Eva Mendes and Emma Stone wearing the chic, but prim daydresses, and I guarantee that the rest of these gowns will be all over the red carpets come awards season.
Marc Jacobs:
There’s a reason that no one could stop talking about the Marc Jacobs show – It was amazing. Fabulously retro and evocative of the stylish Warhol girls of the 60’s, without appearing costumy or over the top, the kind of clothes you can really picture yourself wearing.

Loads of stripes – from thick to thin & horizontal to vertical – interesting lengths, cute separates, matching handbags, low-heeled shoes, and chic outerwear. I loved the long jackets with the high collars, the tiny shifts that us non-supermodels would need to wear slim trousers under, and the adorable pointy toed kitten heels.
Michael Kors:
Another show that emphasized stripes and had a Mod feeling to it was Michael Kors, which was brightly colored, bold, and very sporty. While it may not have been innovative, this collection showed piece after piece of very wearable clothing – For both men and women.

Stripes, colorblocking, contrasting collars, flats, wide low-slung belts, matching suits, tank & shift dresses, and separates all made lovely appearances. I may not be able to live without the green tunic & matching shorts set, it’s one of my favorite looks so far from the NYFW collections.

The menswear was fabulous – Full of color, great silhouettes, and classics styles. The men also got the stripes treatment and he showed great suits, white boat shoes, separates in the form of slacks, shorts & sweaters, and killer outerwear.
Carolina Herrera:
This light airy collection was filled with pale hues – from peach and aqua to olive-green and daffodil yellow – All perfectly ready for Spring. There were shorts, midi length skirts, trench coats, maxi dresses, gowns, and some sweet separates.

As gorgeous as CH’s gowns always are, the separates and short coats were what really caught my eye. They were chic and well-tailored, but more approachable than her collections have been in the past. The wide strap heeled sandals worn by all came in every color imaginable and thin belts cinched all of the waists. And interestingly enough, not a piece of jewelry could be seen!
Oscar de la Renta:
What I love about ODLR is his consistency – Each show will inevitably cater to a handful of crowds, from high-powered businesswomen & ladies who lunch to the fashionable young things & “It” girls that compose the celebutant set.

The splashes of colors in this collection were shocking yellow, pink, and teal – An interesting choice that worked surprisingly well. The collection was vibrant and fun with lots of beautiful textures and fabrics, and a great separates that I can imagine a few fashionistas in. Personally I’d be first in line for the thin striped dress paired with the black & white plaid coat and the sequin encrusted retro tunic & slim cropped pants – Tres chic!
Jill Stuart:
I’m always excited for a collection that pulls from Kim Basinger’s Veronica Lake look-a-like character in LA Confidential as it’s inspiration – The old school, golden age of Hollywood was such an extravagant and glamorous period fashion-wise.

You could really see that in the boudoir-feeling of the silks and slinky satins, and in the sequins, lame, and metallic brocades. While this wasn’t a “real woman” collection, there were beautiful dresses, gowns, and a few separates that will cater perfectly to a certain set.
Alexander Wang:
Wow.

Cut outs, netting, mesh, beading, lucite, sheer fabrics, leather, and garments that glowed in the dark when the lights went down. Cool club kids of the world unite! The pieces were minimalist and simultaneously dramatic and eye-catching, a feat few designers can manage.

Architectural and structured, but still fun and irreverent, all of the looks were paired seamlessly with strappy sandal-boot hybrids in black, white, or clear lucite. Definitely not looks for the average woman to wear walking down the street, but something that the cool girls that love Wang dearly can wear for a night out on the town.
{Sources: Style.com, Fashionologie, The Sartorialist, & Tom & Lorenzo}
Previous NYFW Collections: New York Fashion Week Fall 2012, Pre-Fall 2012 Part I, Part II, Part III, and NYFW Spring 2012 Round-Up.
Additional reviews, photographs, shows, and videos: The Man Repeller – NYFW Day I, The Sartorialist – Boy by Band of Outsiders, Tom & Lorenzo’s Tadashi Shoji Spring 2013 Collection, Late Afternoon’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Diary, or check out IFB’s Spring 2013 Pinterest Board.
What’s your favorite collection that I’ve reviewed so far? If you could go to New York City for Fashion Week what would the number one show on your list to see in person be?
Like this:
Like Loading...
September 18, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 1940's, 1960's, 1970s, 40's, 50 Shades of Gray, 60's, 70's, 70's inspired, 70s style, Alexander Wang, Alice+Olivia, All-American, All-American Fashion, All-American Style, All-AmericanA, American designers, Andy Warhol, Angela Lindvall, animal print, Animal prints, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Ashley Greene, Band of Outsiders, bare midriff, Bare midrift, BCBG, BCBG Max Azria, BCBGeneration, BCBGirls, BCBGMazAzria, BDSM, beading, Beads, bird print, birds, black beads, body-conscious, bodycon, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, Boy by Band of Outsiders, bright florals, Bustier, Caftans, Calvin, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Carolyn Murphy, catwalk, chevron, chic, CK, classic, Coco Rocha, cut outs, cutout, Derek Lam, design house, designers, Diane Von Furstenberg, Diary, DKNY, Donna Karan, Donna Karan Atelier, Donna Karan New York, downtown, DVF, Edie, Edie Sedgwick, Emma Stone, erotic, Eva Mendes, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Fashion Week, Fashion, Fashion diary, Fashion Week, Fashion Week Diary, Fashionologie, Fifty Shades of Gray, First Lady Of The United States, floral, florals, FLOTUS, Francisco Costa, Front row, geek, geek chic, glow in the dark, Good girl, Google, Google Glass, Google Glasses, Google Vision, Hanne Gaby, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Harness, Helmut Newton, Hi tech glass, Hippie, hippie chic, IFB, Independent Fashion Bloggers, J Crew, Jason Wu, jet, jet black beads, Jill Stuart, Jourdan Dunn, Karolina Kurkova, Kim Basinger, kitten heel, kitten heels, LA Confidential, La Perla, lace, Ladies Who Lunch, Late afternoon, Latin-inspired, leather, leather & Lace, Lela Rose, Lillian Bassman, Lincoln Center, Lindsey Wixson, low-healed pumps, Lubov Azria, lux, Manolo Blahnik, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Marc Jacobs, Marihenny Rivera Pasible, Marrakech, matador, maxi skirt, MBFW, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Diary, mesh, metallic, metallic animal print, Michael by Michael Kors, Michael Kors, Michelle Obama, midriff-baring tops, mixing prints, MJ, MK, Mod, Nadja Auermann, Naomi Campbell, Nautical, neon, netting, New York, New York City, New York City Fashion, New York City Fashion Blogger, New York City Street Style, New York City streetstyle, New York City Style, New York Fashion Week, Nicole Kidman, NYC, NYC fashion, NYC Fashion Blogger, NYC Street Style, NYC Style, NYFW, orange florals, Oscar de la Renta, paisley, pastel, Patterns, Peter Som, pin up girl, Pinterest, Pinterest board, pinup, pinup girl, pointy toed heels, Pre-Fall 2012, Pre-Fall 2012 Collections, prim, Prim & proper, prints, Ready-To-Wear, Red Carpet, reese witherspoon, Retro, Retro style, retro-inspired, RTW, Runway, Runway show, S&M, Scott Schuman, sexy, sheer fabric, slinky, Spanish, sports, sportswear, Sportwear, Spring, Spring 2012 Fashion Week, Spring 2012 New York Fashion Week, Spring 2013, Spring 2013 Collection, Spring 2013 Collections, Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear, Spring 2013 RTW, Spring 2013 shows, Spring trends, stripe, Stripes, style.com, stylish, Tadashi Shoji, Tadashi Shoji Spring 2013 Collection, techie, Thakoon, Thakoon Addition, Thakoon Panichgul, The Factory, The Man Repeller, The Sartorialist, The Stylist, The Stylist & Tom & Lorenzo, TLo, Tom & Lorenzo, Tom & Lorenzo: Fabulous & Opinionated, Tommy Hilfiger, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, uptown, Veronica Lake, Victoria Beckham, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, vintage, Vintage inspired, What to wear for Spring, yellow florals, Z Spole by Zac Posen, Zac Posen | 8 Comments
Before heading to New York at the beginning of September I was lucky enough to start fashion month out right with a trip to The Factory for a Fashion Mixer with the lovely Sasha of Sasha Maks Vintage.

I was beyond thrilled to wear some more amazing vintage jewelry courtesy of Sasha Maks Vintage – Oversized pearls, thick gem encrusted golden strands, and animal head bangles {see other phenomenal pieces from this shop in the collaboration series Styling 101}.

{Check out the MCLV Style: Factory Girl post for more on this look!}
The evening was fun and festive with a DJ, open bar, photographers, and a group of people ready to enjoy themselves and learn a little something about The Evans Group’s Collection Developement Packages.

My favorite part was, per usual, the oh-so-cool atmosphere of The Factory – I love the exposed brick and being surrounded by racks and racks of gorgeous clothes while I’m socializing.

Such a great start to Fashion Month!
Like this:
Like Loading...
September 8, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 2 Comments
I definitely go through phases when it comes to the inanimate objects in my daily life – Everything from the beauty products I use to the accessories I wear to the reading materials stacked on my nightstand. Whether you call it a rut or finely tuning your routine, I’m sure you know precisely what I mean.
So here are some of my current (new and past) loves…

{The love of my life, my new Givenchy bag – See Skulls & Givenchy for photos from the first MCLV Style post featuring this bag!}

{My newest mascara acquisition – I’ve mentioned my love of Benefit’s BADGal and Chanel’s Inimitable mascara in the past, but I also like to rotate in a drugstore brand now and again, and I’ve been thrilled with the results of Maybelline’s One by One Volume Express}

{As far as I’m concerned you can’t have enough fun, statement jewelry: Spiked Bracelet – Asos.com & Purple Beaded Necklace – Zara}

{In my opinion the only positive thing about the end of Summer are September issues!}

{SWOON! I’ve been a fan of Moroccan Argan Oil for a while so when I saw this L’Oreal Precious Oil Treatment I jumped at the chance to try it – Not only does it smell like a dream, it’s visibly nourishing}

{It’s official – I’m in love! Skull adorned Steve Madden smoking slippers}

{Fashion Books & Vintage Jewelry. Left: The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia & vintage pearl collar. Right: Parisian Chic – A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange & vintage Vendome tassel necklace}
What are you loving lately? What can’t you get enough of? Have you gotten any fun new pieces or exciting accessories to update your wardrobe or prepare for Fall/Winter 2012/2013?
Like this:
Like Loading...
August 23, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: A Guide To Style, accessories, Amazon, Argan oil, art, BADgal Lash Mascara, bag, Bag Gal Mascara, beauty, Beauty products, Benefit, Benefit Bad Gal mascara, Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara, Benefit mascara, black mascara, Book of Style, brown mascara, Chanel beauty, Chanel beauty products, Chanel Inimitable, Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir, Chanel model, Chanel Muse, collar, Cosmetics, drugstore makeup, drugstore picks, drugstore products, Editor, Ever Sleek, face, Fall flats, Fashion, Fashion Books, Fashion editor, Fashion Guide, fashion industry, Fashion insider, Fashion mode, fashion model, Flats, French fashion, French fashion book, Givenchy, Givenchy handbag, Gold, gold vintage jewelry, H&M, H&M jewelry, Hair, handbag, Ines de la Fressange, inspiration, InStyle, InStyle Magazine, Jean Vendome, Jean Vendome jewelry, Jean Vendome lariat, jewelry, Judge, Karl, Karl Lagerfeld, Karl Lagerfeld muse, Karl's Muse, L'Oreal, L'Oreal Paris, latina, Little Black Book, Loving, makeup, makeup bag, Marie Claire, Mascara picks, Maybelline, Maybelline New York, model, Models, Moroccan Argan Oil, Nina Garcia, Noir, One by One Volume Express, Paris fashion, Paris street style, Paris style, Parisian Chic, Parisian Chic: A Style Guide, Parisian fashion, Parisian Street Style, Parisian style, pearl, pearl collar, pearl necklace, pearls, Precious Oil Treatment, products, Project Runway, Project Runway Judge, Reading materials, runway model, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sephora, September Issue, shopper, Skin, Skull, Skull candy, Skulls, slip ons, slippers, smoking flats, Smoking slippers, Steve Madden, Street style, Style, Style Book, Style Guide, tassel, tassel necklace, The Factory, The Little Black Book of Style, The September Issue, tote, trunk show, Vendome, Vendome jewelry, Vendome necklace, vintage gold, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, Vintage pearl collar, vintage pearl necklace, vintage pearls, Vogue, Vogue Magazine, Winter flats, Zara | 3 Comments
This past weekend was a once in a life time celebration for my family – My baby brother, who happens to be the only male cousin, celebrated his recent engagement. He and his adorable fiance drove (drove!!!) up from Albuquerque for a week in California which ended with three days of non-stop celebrating in San Francisco.
The festivities began Friday night with our longtime tradition, dinner at our favorite North Beach spot, Don Pistos. The chips & salsa are amazing and we always gorge ourselves on them long before the food ever arrives, the tacos and seafood specials never disappoint, and their sangria is top-notch. Which is very important in a restaurant.





Ceviche tacos, carne asada, fried calamari, fish tacos, wine & sangria, and unpictured (eaten too quickly…) veggie tacos for me.

Why do boys never tire of trying to scare you?
After leaving dinner, totally stuffed as always, we walked past Washington Square Park and headed to another fun North Beach spot, the always lively brewery Rogue which has great outdoor tables and a huge beer list.



How cute is my future sister? 🙂

I’m always exhausted on Friday nights, the week always seems to come crashing down on me riiight around 7pm, so I made my life easier and just threw on a little black dress and some killer gold jewelry for our Friday night out.

V-Neck Dress – Mink (from the North Beach boutique Annabella’s), Heeled Sandals – Ralph Lauren, Lariat Necklace – Vendome (from the Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show), Bracelets – JewelMint & Vintage, and Ring – BCBG {Click on the hyperlinks above to visit sites where you can find similar pieces}
For the main event on Saturday the rest of our family joined us for brunch and bottomless mimosas at a little hole in the wall bar/restaurant in North Beach called Tiernan’s Irish Pub.




And yes, I ate sweet potato fries for brunch. Completely worth it.

Comparing bling with fabulous friends – An important part of any good outing
Most of our extended family departed after brunch wrapped up, so those of us who remained walked over to the beach at Ghirardelli Square for some celebratory bubbly and a toast with a killer view.



Fashion highlight? Realizing Sean had been wearing my little pink running socks from Victoria’s Secret with his new Banana Republic dress shoes all day…

And what did I wear for this fabulous event you ask?
Zara Zara Zara

Striped Blouse – Zara, Royal Blue Shorts – Zara, Shoes – MaddenGirl, and Zebra Print Aviators – Piperlime {You can shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder or click on the hyperlinks above to visit websites where you can find similar pieces}
In conclusion, it was an amazing, sentimental, crazy fun weekend, and now I feel like I need to sleep for a week to recover. 🙂
How was your weekend?
Like this:
Like Loading...
July 12, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, Fitness, Food | Tags: animal print, Annabella's, Asos Fashion Finder, Asos.com, Aviator sunglasses, aviators, Bar hopping, Bay Area, BCBG, BCBG Ring, bling, blue & white, blue & white stripes, blue shorts, Bottomless mimosas, bottomlesss mimosas, brunch, Button down, Champagne toast, Coco, Engagement celebration, Engagement Party, engagement ring, Fashion, Fitness, Food, Fort Mason, ghirardelli square, Heeled sandals, Jameson, Jean Vendome, Jean Vendome jewelry, JewelMint, Lariat, LBD, Little Black Dress, Madden Girl, MaddenGirl, Mimosa brunch, Mink, Neutral heels, North Beach, Northern California, Nude heels, paloma picasso, pink socks, Purple heels, Purple shoes, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Shoes, RewardStyle, Rogue, Rogue Brewery, San Francisco, San Francisco Bay, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco Street Style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Saturday Brunch, stacking, Striped blouse, Sweet potato fries, The Factory, Tiernan, Tiernan's, Tiernan's Irish Pub, Tiffany's, V-Neck Dress, Vendome, Vendome lariat, veuve clicquot, vintage bracelets, vintage gold jewelry, vintage jewelry, Washington Square Park, Zara, Zara Blouse, Zara shorts, zebra print, zebra print aviators, Zebra print sunglasses, Zipper shorts | 1 Comment
You had me at vintage jewelry…

Amirite?

I’ve mentioned The Factory in the past, I attended an opening last spring where I purchased one of my all time favorite coats, and I also joined them to celebrated the April Howard Capsule Collection this past December.

The setting is great – an airy, brick-walled loft space in SOMA, and this past Thursday it was once again crammed to the rafters with beautiful clothes. And swoon worthy jewelry.

{Oh, there were people there too. I think. I was busy.}

A special trunk show featuring Sasha Maks Vintage jewelry and all designs featured June 24th in Dior: A Life in Pictures. Shop the unique vintage costume jewelry collection that includes the best of 20th century designs by Dior, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Lanvin and a myriad of unsigned statement pieces.
Unfortunately I had been unable to attend the June 24th Christian Dior exhibit so this was a great chance to catch up on a few of the designs that I missed out on earlier. Beautiful clothing, vintage magazines and photographs, and a phenomenal layout.
I walked down to SOMA to photograph the event and browse the trunk show. And what does a girl wear to a trunk show?

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Striped Pocket Sweater – Everyly via the seriously adorable North Beach boutique Annabella’s, Pleated Black Mini – Zara & Studded Peep-Toe Booties – Vince Camuto}

{Black & white + vintage jewelry, of course!}
After admiring the eye-candy and taking pictures, I dove head-first into the gorgeous collection of jewelry. I tried on Chanel charm bracelets, costume jewelry earrings, animal cuffs, giant enamel pendants… And then I was lucky enough to stumble upon a phenomenal tassel adorned lariat necklace designed by Jean Vendome.

It was love at first sight!
I couldn’t wait to take it for a spin so I threw together an outfit on Friday so that I would have an excuse to wear it immediately. I wanted something simple so that the drama of the necklace would be the central part of the look.

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Maxi Dress – BCBGeneration, Nude Sandals – Vintage, Wrap Ring – JewelMint, Gold Wrap Bracelet – Forever 21 & Necklace – Vendome}
You can even check out my new necklace in this Elle Girl Japan editorial below.

Do you like to wear vintage jewelry? What’s your favorite vintage piece that you’ve collected over the years?
Like this:
Like Loading...
June 12, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Annabella's, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, BCBG, BCBGeneration, BCBGirls, black & white florals, Black pleated mini skirt, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Dior jewelry, Christmas gift, Christmas present, classic fashion, classic vintage fashion, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Corocraft, Designer April Howard, Dior, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Elle Girl, Elle Girl Japan, Evans Group, Everyly, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, Fashion event, fashion gifts, fashion jewelry, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, fashion sketches, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Forever 21, French designers, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, Gold lariat, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jean Vendome, Jean Vendome jewelry, Jean Vendome lariat, Jennifer Evans, JewelMint, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, Lanvin, Lariat, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Mini skirt, Models, Moroccan, Moroccan market, Morocco, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, North Beach shopping, NYFW, Oh Land Music, OhLandMusic, Old school glamour, pearls, Peep toe, Peep-toe booties, peep-toe heels, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pleats, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Present giving, Presents, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco boutique, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show, Schiaparelli, Secret Santa, Secret Santa Gift, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Blogger, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, Shift dress, snake bracelet, snake jewelry, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Stripes, Style, Styling, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, tassle, tassle necklace, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, trunk show, Vendome, Vendome jewelry, Vendome lariat, Vendome necklace, Vince Camuto, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, Vintage Christian Dior, Vintage designer jewelry, Vintage elephant necklace, vintage fashion, vintage French jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage gold necklace, Vintage inspired, vintage inspired fashion, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, vintage pearls, Vintage sandals, vintage shift, vintage shift dress, Washington Square Park Shopping, WWD, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara heels, Zara Skirt | 10 Comments
Have you ever seen the bolts of fabric that are used to make the clothes that you love? Or gotten a chance to look through the black & white sketches that become your favorite pieces? Or sorted through the jars of buttons that will be sewn onto your favorite coat? A dear friend has given me the unique opportunity to witness this initial stage of the clothes making process as he works with the talented Jennifer Evans of the The Evans Group.
But, what do you do when the clothes are made? You celebrate of course! And to celebrate The Factory and CODE Salon hosted a cocktail party to show off their new collection in collaboration with April Howard.
Debuting in 2010 during New York Fashion Week at the Lincoln Center, April Howard earned praise from national press including WWD, Seventeen, and The Bristol Observer.
“My organic shapes and details are representative of discarded items, melting plastic, and rubber found around us in these urban wastelands we find ourselves in,” Howard says of her aesthetic.

So what’s a girl who loves fashion to do when she receives an invitation like this one? She gets all dressed up, finds a taxi, and drags her extremely accommodating boyfriend to SOMA for some eye candy.
Oh, and she takes LOTS of pictures.




{I mean… Gorgeous clothes, a chic salon, beautiful models and vino? I’m there!}




The clothes from April Howard’s collection of original pieces under The Factory label were phenomenal {seen above in sketches & photographs} and the young ladies modeling them were stunning. The Factory is on the ground floor and filled to the brim with sewing machines, dressmaking mannequins, and rack upon rack of clothing. While the second floor of the building is occupied by CODE Salon, a cool SOMA loft space that last night was filled with models, make up artists, hairdressers, photographers, patrons, and one hardworking DJ.

Overall it was quite an evening. As a fashion lover I can say that I was not disappointed by my first chance to get up close and personal with the photographing of a collection. A big thank you to The Factory and CODE Salon for including me last night!
{You can see my initial post about The Factory here if you’d like any additional background}
Like this:
Like Loading...
December 9, 2011 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 2 Comments
No, I’m not talking about Edie Sedgewick and Andy Warhol.

This Factory that I’m talking about is a retail and design space located in the SOMA district of San Francisco {Here’s a brief summary from the website}
The Factory is an unrestricted retail space in San Francisco, featuring collaborations with The Evans Group’s clientele of independent designers, made to keep its seamstresses working year-round. The Factory label is sold in the retail space and throughout the wholesale accounts.
The Factory is recognized locally and nationally, for preserving domestic work, and providing an exception work environment, The Evans Group Inc. is acclaimed for restoring the humanity and quality behind manufacturing clothes, while promoting design and craftsmanship.
In plain words, in addition to selling clothing under an eponymous label, The Factory offers clothing produced by up-and-coming and local designers, tailoring and design services, all the while employing local seamstresses (rather than outsourcing cheap foreign labor).

{Beautiful clothing. Amazing, rustic SOMA space. Talented and enthusiastic employees. Ethical practices.}

{Totally sold!}



{And speaking of sold… Meet the new love of my life! One of a kind and tailored just for me. Sigh. When will it get cold again?}
If you’re a Bay Area resident or visiting San Francisco I highly recommend stopping by The Factory and taking a look at these beautiful clothes. They’re located at 370 4th street (between Harrison and Folsom) behind Pete’s Coffee and across the street from Whole Foods!
Like this:
Like Loading...
April 28, 2011 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, Capsule, capsule collection, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall Style, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion gifts, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, Local seamstresses, long sleeved cocktail dress, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Moroccan, Moroccan market, Morocco, Present giving, Presents, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco Designer, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show, Secret Santa, Secret Santa Gift, SF, SF Blogger, SF Designer, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, Shift dress, SOMA designer, SOMA Shopping, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Styling, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, The Factory Presents April Howard, trunk show, vintage, Vintage elephant necklace, Vintage gold necklace, Vintage inspired, vintage inspired fashion, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, vintage shift, vintage shift dress, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara heels | 6 Comments