BrandHabit

Reliable Shapewear

by Sara Caspi

Shapewear is one of those items in a woman’s closet that is sometimes just so hard to find. With a plethora of brands popping up to fill in the gap (or create one on our bodies!) it’s hard to know which ones work under which material or are more controlling than others or don’t ride up, fall down… you get the point.

I had the chance to talk to TC Fine Intimates’ national sales manager Mr. Leonard Greenbaum and ask him his take on my verbalized frustrations with shapewear. I don’t know if you have ever tried TC Shapewear (I’ve only tried a couple of their waist cinchers, and yes – they do work) but by the end of our conversation, I was a believer in their products. While they are very straightforward in appearance, no added lace, frills or the lot, they are constantly developing their design and materials to add more shape AND be lightweight. Plus they have this patented “wonderful edge” on all their products that prevents it from riding up.

All I know is that they have products for shaping and smoothing that range in density to meet a variety of needs. They even have this kind of sheer hose that has rear lifting. One product that seems to be hot on the market right now, across the market that a lot of brands are producing, is what TC refers to as a Torsette. It’s a torso (waist and back) shaper that cuts low under the bust line to allow you to wear your own bra. Smooth contour lines and a defined chest? Ingenious.

 

Interview with Fabricated [Los Angeles] designers Gemma Aguiar and Ashley Vanni

by Carlina Harris

Fashion surrounds my everyday life, with what I do, what I wear, and what I don't wear. So sometimes it is nice to just throw something on without starring into my closet with that ever present quintessential thought of "I have nothing to wear". At times I want an easy outfit, nothing fussy, something kick back, but I absolutely will not be a bum, I have to add an element of me in there somewhere!  

So when I was introduced to Fabricated [Los Angeles], I knew I had found something special- something that met my easy, yet chic requirements! The casual, fun vibe of the mostly t-shirt line is exactly what I'm looking for on any given day chic is required, but sequins are out of the question. The loose tee's and tanks come in an array of colors with images, and cheeky sayings like, "JUDGE ME", "Wild Child", or "Miserable Mornings, Neverending Nights". These tops are perfect to pair with just about everything, think harem pants, or leopard print pumps! I was honored to be able to style two different tanks, and one very fabulous feather earring my way- check out the pics below!

{Fabricated [Los Angeles] 'Judge Me' tank with Bluesword Feather earring by Lauren Grasso, lace skirt, blazer and short cowboy boots}

{Fabricated [Los Angeles]Blue Sword Feather earring by Lauren Grasso with sheer polkadot dress}

{Fabricated [Los Angeles] Zodiac tank, with harem pants, leopard pumps and wraparound belt}

 

I was able to chat up the local Los Gatos designers- Gemma Aguiar and Ashely Vanni- who thought up this groovy line, and asked all the questions I bet your dying to know!

Hello girls! What drove you two to ambitiously start a clothing/accessory line at your- very young- age?

G.A. – I’ve always been more of a t-shirt/tank type girl, so I started designing t-shirts for sites like Design By Humans. Nothing ever really caught on there, so after a while I designed my own line in the hopes of printing them someday. I figured even if no one else liked them, I’d wear them! I asked Ashley to work with me because I knew she also has a love for fashion as well as industry knowledge from various jobs and a degree in Merchandise Marketing from FIDM.

As far as our accessories go--Ashley met jewelry designer Lauren Grasso and fell in love with her feather earrings. I loved them too, so we asked her to create a private label specifically for us!

I feel in love with your tanks and that feather earring too, what inspired your designs?

Living in Los Angeles. Each design represents an exaggerated element of the LA personality.

You two grew up in the Bay Area, but now live in LA what inspires you on a daily basis?

G.A: watching other young entrepreneurs go after their dreams.

A.V: La La Land

I think living in the creative atmosphere that is LA would inspire me too Ashely! Do you ever think about branching out to design other stuff?

Yes, our goal is to capture a lifestyle. Eventually we want to carry more than just tops and accessories- we will have shoes, jeans, shorts, etc. Everything a girl needs to create an entire "look".

Switching gears a little, how old is Fabricated [Los Angeles]?

Still a baby!We officially started in May 2010.

Wow, you are pretty new to the scene, so where can the BH reader buy your tops and accessories then?

You will find our merchandise online at www.fabricatedla.com and soon in a few boutiques in Northern California!

That's awesome! Soon our bay area readers will be able to get their very own Fabricated [Los Angeles] fix! So where did the Fabricated [Los Angeles] name come from then?

G.A: I came up with the name Fabricated [Los Angeles], because the designs are all a fabricated, or made-up image of how I see Los Angeles.

Any celebs seen wearing Fabricated [Los Angeles] yet? If not, which celebs would you most like to style in your clothes?

Not yet, but we would LOVE to see Vanessa Hudgens, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, and the female cast of Gossip Girl in our clothes. We always see them in fun and edgy clothing. They have such great style!

Of course, all the hollywood starlets, makes sense. What else do girls do in your free time- if you even have any? Any other fashion endeavors?

We both like to SHOP, hang with friends, and dream about traveling!

Speaking of shopping, what is your personal favorite brand of clothing or designer?

G.A: Free People. Love the vintage inspired look!

A. V: Elizabeth and James, and Young, Fabulous and Broke. Obsessed!

One more question, Ashley, I hear you used to be work at Brandhabit, what exactly did Carla Morton- BrandHabit's founder- have you do?

A.V: I did media sales and managed new interns. I also helped organize the intern end of truck shows, image pulls for identifying trends, and spread the word about the BH newsletter.

Sounds like all the fun and exciting stuff I used to do! Well thanks girls for taking the time to answer all my questions. Be sure to come back and tell us what Bay Area stores will be stocking Fabricated [Los Angeles] and when you manage to get Lindsay in your 'Wild Child' tank and out of her orange prison jumpsuit!

 

 

Layla Grace Giveaway at TheFind

Layla Grayce is a destination for cultivating your personal style. Founders Wendy Rossiter Estes and Tiffany Grayce Harris bring their vision of “harmony, balance and happiness to your home and life.” The two friends share a passion for antiques and art before launching Layla Grayce.  The carefully curated collection of items for women, children, and home will delight you with everything from luxe modern handbags, to gorgeous jewelry perfect for holiday gift giving. Indulge yourself or a friend with an in-home spa experience with a bubble bath, or scented candle from Lollia, Gianna Rose or Mor Cosmetics. Never mainstream but always functional, Layla Grayce products are designed for longevity – everyday heirlooms that can be passed on to future generations. Layla Grayce is dedicated to creating an inspired haven that reflects a stylish, creative take on your lifestyle.

Thanks to our generous friends at Layla Grayce for providing a $250 gift card to one lucky winner in our Autumn Blooms Giveaway. Contest ends  October 25, 2010 12:01 a.m. PST.

To enter please visit TheFind’s official Layla Grace Autumn Blooms Giveaway page for details on how to enter.

From our friends at The Find.

Scrumptious Sleepwear

by Sara Caspi

 

Two-words: Munki Munki. This brand is like a hipster’s fantasy come to life. This uber-cute pajama brand boasts the sweetest prints. Between the rainbows, ice cream bars, whales and garden gnome prints (the list goes on and on with prints I got to check out from their Spring 2011 line in addition to their previous seasons) I’m especially taken with their crafted rosettes found on garments in their upcoming collection.

With the weather shifting seasons again, they have poplin, flannel and thermal options to keep you snuggly with - where you choose your fav prints to see what cuts it comes in. But while you pine away for warmer days, one of my favorite sets in their line I’d recommend for the warmer climate is their sleeveless blouson tank and panty set, which looks just as yummy to sleep in as it does to look at.

Drool on… 

Free tickets to Beauty Sample Sale: SF

Hello lovelies! I am attending a fabulous beauty sample sale soiree hosted by PrettyCity.com and SHAPE magazine this Wednesday in San Francisco, with cocktails, mini beauty treatments, shopping and goodie bags. The girls over at PrettyCity were kind enough to offer ten free tickets (a $30 value each) for my BrandHabit readers. All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what beauty product you can't live without!. Please include your name and email, so I can contact you if you win. Hope to see you there! Click here for more info on the event.

xo Carlina

MADARA ecocosmetics

by Carlina Harris

I recently encountered such an amazing skin experience, it was almost outer body! For the past few weeks my skin regimen has been akin to a spa day thanks to the lovely girls over at MADARA, a Latvian eco-friendly, organic beauty and skin product company. The brand is fairly new to the States, but has been a huge hit in Europe and Asia, winning top accolades in the organic beauty circle. One look at their extensive yet soothingly simple website, reveals that MADARA is fully equip to tackle any skin dilemma. A neatly categorized table of contents uncovers a plethora of eco jewels including: all the necessities to cleanse, tone, and moisturize your face, and body, hair products, baby friendly products, and makeup- but after trying all these skin enhancers your face will look so dewy and natural that makeup may not even be necessary!

Take for example the products I tried out, the deep replenishing cream, a sunflower tinted moisturizer and a sunkissed tinting lipgloss. The deep replenishing cream was fantastic, it was light, but thick enough to moisturize my dry skin, and the scent was easy and natural. I have been wearing this cream during the day, so I mix it with a SPF 25 to get moisture and protection from the sun! On days when I need moisture and coverage, I simply apply the sunflower tinted moisturizer, it goes on very light, and smells like it sounds- clean and fragrant of summer sunflowers. Lastly the sun kissed tinting lip gloss was a stunningly simple, un-greasy, sheer bronze color.  When applied it glistened in the sun, and left gold flecks on my lips!

This all might sound too good to be true, but it's not! MADARA truly exits. It is now even easier get your MADARA fix, simply click here to target any skin dilemma you may have!

T-Shirt Made Pretty

I’ve talked a little bit about good travel style in terms of what to wear on your feet. Another one of my favorite traveling outfits is to incorporate a T-shirt dress. What I love about this option for travel is that not only is it easy to throw on, and comfortable to wear in a crowded, awkward plane, it also comes in so many different styles. You can opt for a literal, long t-shirt, or go for something a big more sophisticated. Depending on how you like to travel, you can wear it by itself or pair it with jeans, tights or leggings.

If you go for more of a literal t-shirt, it can end up looking a bit like a nightgown – no shape, little form, etc. – so be careful. A good solution for this problem – and one that’s very vogue right now – is to clasp a big, thick belt around your waist to give yourself some definition. If you add a few long, clunky necklaces you’ll look super fashionable and no one will think, "wow, that girl is wearing a glorified t-shirt!"

Option for something a bit more structured is always a good idea if you’d rather just throw on the shirt and go – without worrying about accessorizing. Keep in mind, though, that t-shirt dresses – even structured ones – tend to be a little flowy and billowy, so make sure you’re properly covered underneath! You may want to throw on a pair of leggings for extra insurance.

From our friends at thefind.com

Naughty Little Trinkets

by Sara Caspi

I came across this delightfully sinful brand from Barcelona called Bijoux Indiscrets. They sell a variety of passionate novelty items that range from feathery handcuffs to “Mimi” body jewels to their “Petite Bonbons” collection, a selection of tiny goodies that you can pick and choose from to create your own naughty gift box.

Their website asks you to email them to find out where you can buy their products in your country, and for a relatively new brand, I loved their packaging and upscale image. But do not fret if you’re a more demure love goddess, as their products are tasteful, ranging from candles that turn into massage oil to scented pleasure hunt stamps to tease your lover into finding where exactly X does mark the spot.

 

Za Za Zu  feather handcuffs                               Mimi body jewels

 http://www.bijouxindiscrets.com/petits_bijoux_eng.html

 

Alexa Chung for Madewell

by Carlina Harris

Alexa Chung never fails to disappoint. From the quirky cool London girl vibe she oozes in her day to day outfits, to the night time party looks she concocts, to the drawing board for other designers, there's no denying she has got something special. Her enviable style sense has garnered major street cred from the House of Mulberry naming a bag after her, and now fashion phenomenon Madewell has us pining for her designs.

The crushed velvet shorts, whimsical peter pan collars, and long school-marm-made-cool skirts will no doubt leave a multitude of doppelgänger Alexa's running about town.

        
          

Shearling and Leather Jackets Are The Perfect Fall Staple!

Sure, your everyday worn-in leather jacket you’ve been sporting since spring is perfectly suitable to keep wearing through the more milder days of fall, but if you’re like me, you’re likely to pounce on any excuse to update your favorite go-to pieces to suit the season at hand. Shearling-lined leather seems to instantly transform a simple seasonless moto jacket into a chilly-weather staple — not only does it look and feel warmer and cozier, but it updates the look from expected and “typical” to totally on-trend with this season’s aviator inspiration.

Trade your asymmetrical-zip moto jacket for one with some seasonal updates, like this one by ADAM. The shearling collar and camel leather is totally hot for fall, while its cropped silhouette and slim fit keep the look sleek and polished despite the bulkier neckline. This Madewell leather jacket has more of a “boyfriend” fit and aviator feel with its looser fit, belted details and hardware, and is the perfect for amping up your jeans-and-tee combo. If the contrasting collar isn’t your fave, this Ziggy biker jacket is a more subtle, monochromatic take on the trend, giving you the comfy warmth of a collar without making quite so loud a statement.

From our friends at thefind.com