on hiatus until the weekend of 4/18

el has been really sick and kendall had to jet off to san fran so this week we are without fashion advise to spare. we had a plan for this post but it fell through yesterday, so please check back next weekend when we will be back in action!

top trends to watch out for this spring...and we mean that in a good way (mostly)

as denver residents, we realize that we may be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years behind the rest of the world where fashion is concerned, but even from our somewhat fashionless island in middle america we can from time to time glimpse what's coming around the bend. this week we wanted to give our beloved VOTS readers our thoughts about what you might see on the streets or in magazines (more likely) this spring. enjoy the 6 top trends of spring 2009!

1. embellished boho 

this season is full of bohemian looks like this anna sui number with a modern, slightly blinged-out twist (looking poor AND rich at the same time!). what's popular is mixed prints and patterns paired with shiny or embellished fabrics, metallics, jewels or sequins.

classic looks can be enhanced with funky jewels and prints like this fabulous matthew williamson dress.

even though sequins are a more modern touch, this sexy number still includes soft bohemian colors and a classic flowy boho style. personal thoughts: el is dubious about this look. kendall of course loves sequins so she's excited for this trend.

 2. colorful, over-sized statement jewelry 

amy adams' fabulous necklace she wore at the oscars has already made an appearance on this blog, but as it is such an fantastic example of statement jewels we couldn't help but feature it again.

...and the same goes for angie jo. the jewels aren't huge but the color is over the top and therefore fits perfectly into the statement jewelry category.

3. ugly is the new black: a salute to the 80s

we are aware these harem (hammer?) pants were heavy on the 2008 runway but they just started making their way into our everyday lives, and they make us throw up in our mouths a little.

carrot pants (or pants with ankle zippers???) are the slightly less ugly cousin of harem pants. we are sad to see the trend in ill-fitting pants continue full steam ahead into 2009.

believe it or not, folks, you are looking at an image from fashion week 2009. we had to double check. balenciaga saluted the worst of the 80s with big shoulders and ugly, unflattering draping. avoid looking like this at all costs.  

4. ultra-feminine: nudes, pastels and sheer fabrics 

with the exception of herman munster there on the end, these pieces look feminine and delicate with very floral touches and a light, flesh-colored palate.

we love these pieces from the erdem spring 2009 collection: very soft with a hint of the 1920's--especially the long lacy piece on the end (minus the queen elizabeth jacket).

5. boyfriend jeans

check out vicki in her non-skin tight jeans! she makes the baggier jeans femme with a sleek, well-fitted jacket. we are happy to see this trend arise, as it is more accomodating to all body types (although i guess victoria beckham is technically a bad rep for "all body types").

katie holmes caught a lot of shit when she debuted this look last summer but now we are suddenly seeing it pop up all over. ever-popular with bike hipsters, it gives older jeans that may be a little too long or short (but still fit well in the waist/thighs) a second shot at life.

6. the 1920's flapper returns (and we couldn't be happier): fringe and feathers

these roberto cavalli fringe sandals for spring are totally hot. we like the modern take on fringe with the chunky jewels added. 

these beautiful pieces are reminiscent of daisy from the great gatsby updated to 2009. el would totally give a toe (or something) for the dress on the left. wouldn't you?

the look is complete with a jaunty feather in your hair! via hat or hair clip it all looks amazing.

we hope you've enjoyed our look at ladies' fashion for spring 2009, we'll try to get something up here for the gentleman soon! 

cheers!

k&e

expensive shit you can actually just make yourself, vol. 1

this edition of "expensive shit you can actually just make yourself" is all about our favorite piece: the scarf. while perusing the free people website one day we came across the plaid scarf pictured below. its a decent scarf. plaid is pretty awesome most of the time and these colors are interesting. but in the end, the truth is that this is a tiny scrap of flannel that you will be paying $32 to own when you can easily DIY. we thought we could do better! turns out, we did...

the free people menswear stripe skinny scarf

step 1. we found an xl men's flannel at a thrift store for $2.99. note: it has to be flannel! any synthetic fabrics won't rip the right way.

step 2: make a tiny cut at the bottom and rip straight up the grain of the fabric. we made three equal-length sections to put together, and even included a pocket on one.

step 3: sew pieces together with contrast zig-zag stitching to complete the well-worn/rough edges effect. we used a bright turquoise thread.

the end result is a soft, funky, hip plaid scarf that cost $2.99 and took a total of fifteen minutes to make. the best part is that by DingIY you can choose the fabric, width and length you like. 

all-in-all, making this was literally easier than going to the store and paying money for the free people scarf, even if we would've been okay with spending the $32 (which we wouldn't have been). happy sewing!

cheers!

rockin' the suburbs

although at valentine on the side we love to be thrifty, we recognize that sometimes you need to spend money on quality products. we also know that, as much as you may dislike it, you may sometimes need to go to the suburbs (like, maybe that's where your dentist is or something). if these two events happen to collide, the best place to go is compostion at belmar. belmar is a city within a city type of weird alien shopping complex located in lakewood, about a 15 minute drive from downtown denver.

composition is a design heavy boutique, with books, paper products, organizational supplies, bags, laptop accessories and jewelry. they also carry the more kooky items on the high style spectrum like baby sea turtle onesies and earrings made from recycled skateboards. they try to carry as many green products as possible which is why it's a pricer store. it's the type of store you wouldn't blink at to find in new york or berlin or london but it's shocking to find such a place located in denver. composition is also very travel friendly so they have an amazing selection of travel books (including the incredible color-blocked phadon travel series) and books about foreign cities, inciting your travel lust even further while visting this oasis of high style.

it was a delight to visit and here are our favorite bits:

walls and tables abound filled with everything from graphic design and archetecture books, super cool smart magazines for creative thinkers, travel guides, crafting and general hip hilarity. 

composition is maybe best known for having the coolest bags in the denver area. they run pretty pricy but they're high quality and the staff is super helpful when it comes to finding the right one for you.

el's favorite bag is a sleek japaneese design, the allen foldover by RO. ken's favorite bag is an oversized felt number by Carga.

and here we are, at the baby gorilla pillow at last. how amazing is that? we also have featured above the incredible not quite edible egg pants (don't you just have to have them?) and the two thing el couldn't leave behind at the store, a lovely deer card and a new toothbrush holder.

if you dare venture into the suburbs, you have to stop by composition. we love it so much here is all their contact info (they have an online store for those of you not in colorado):

composition 

7180 w. alaska drive

lakewood, co 80226

www.shopcomposition.com

cheers!

fashionista of the month: miss carrie lindberg

every month we ask the same 5 questions of our fellow fashion-loving coloradoans who have enough style and sass to stand out against the sea of northface jackets, beanies, and ratty tshirts we so commonly encounter. now, that being said, carrie b. lindberg doesn't live here in denver and never has. but seeing how this blog is so new and she's been mentioned twice in it already, we thought it fine to break the rules we set for ourselves and interview miss CB lindberg for the march edition. when was CB lindberg mentioned in the blog you ask? remember when elinor referenced huge glasses, saying she only knew one girl who could pull off that look? that girl is carrie lindberg (yes, she IS very special). and the blog previous to this one when el talked about how going to a co-worker's fabulously decorated home inspired her to color-block her bookshelf? that co-worker was none other than carrie lindberg. carrie currently lives, shops, and organizes things by color in seoul, korea. hailing from the wonderous city of minneapolis, she will surely bring the heat this week to valentine on the side. give it to us carrie!

1. why do you think you're so fashionable?

CBL: i think i'm fashionable because, well, to be honest, i don't think i'm fashionable. i like clothes and i like looking nice, but for the most part, i toss on jeans and a tshirt, and possibly a sweater vest and cardigan. i tend to wear standard pieces and add some flair with scarves. prints and patterns are really appealing to me, and that could very well be something that makes me seem more fashionable and put-together than i actually am. i can pick out a great scarf from a mile away.

2. what's the LEAST fashionable thing about you?

CBL: i'm a sucker for irony. i buy clothing that is funny more often than i buy clothing that will work for me or last for a long time. for example, i am sitting here typing in a peach shirt that says "lovers" in cooper black (the font). i also have a navy blue sweater with an intarsia ghost. i also love giant, stupid glasses like no one else you will ever meet.

3. what current trend or trends do you hate the most right now?

CBL: brand names. logos emblazoned on any and every item that someone is sporting is such a huge visual turn-off to me. there are definitely things that a lot of people i know are into (chuck taylors, vans, chrome bags---mostly shoes and bags now that i think of it) that are obvious whether the tag is clear and easy to see or not. there is something about paying an insane amount of money to advertise a brand to the world that is so counter-intuitive to me. being brand-loyal because of durability and ease: that's a whole different animal.

4. what is your secret fashion vice?

CBL: its not really a secret, and i'm totally jumping on the bandwagon with this one, but as i've mentioned i'm really into scarves. in fact i fear this vice may bankrupt me. i bought three scarves yesterday alone!

5. who or what is a fashion inspiration to you?

CBL: colors are what really get me going. i find a color or color combination i love and will follow it hard. i went through a serious yellow and gray stage that i'm just now coming out of, and am transitioning to red oranges and corals with ashy blacks and slate blue grays. color combos that kill me usually involve something citrusy and something very neutral. oddly, i am also really into grey and khaki together. it is delicious in the most boring way possible, i guess. cannot get enough.

undercover fashion correspondent cb lindberg

as a BONUS, we asked carrie to give us a little dirt on what the scene is like over there in seoul, a.k.a. to be our VOTS asian fashion correspondent. here's what she noted....

CBL: fashion in seoul is conservative in a really strange way. everyone here wears tops that cover pretty much everything. turtlenecks, scoop-necks, layers, scarves, etc. its a big deal, even in the summer, to keep covered in that way. buuuuuuuuttttt, they also wear really insanely short shorts and skirts. even in the winter you'll see girls tromping around in barely-there skirts with either nylons or colored tights (adorable). high high heels are another thing that i can't seem to wrap my head around, because in korea you are forever walking and/or climbing flights of stairs. but girls here are like robots when it comes to this. they will rock 4 or 5-inch heels every day of the week, no matter what.

fashion for guys is pretty typical and similar to what's popular in the west i think. men here are generally quite thin, tall, and gorgeous. the majority of men wear thick-framed glasses, have shaggy haircuts, wear skinny jeans, blazers, scarves, and man purses. in fact i have seen a few really spectacular man purses which are much more feminine than anything the girls i know would have. but that, i presume, has more to do with culture and gender roles/gender identity than anything else.

thanks carrie!

until next time...

cheers!