Store Appeal

Charlotte Russe: All Grown Up

Store Appeal: Remember the Charlotte Russe of our yesteryear? I sure do, and I have to admit that I was wary about whether or not it was the same semi-cheesy, teeny bopper type clothing store of my adolescent years. I can happily report that not only has their logo changed to a fresh and clean “CR”, but their clothing as well. Charlotte Russe now carries a sophisticated mix of trendy clothes and simple basics. Everything is still budget friendly (a definite plus!), and there are lots and lots of cute options to choose from.

Our Vote: The website is super clean and easy to navigate, with refined search options like color and price. Images are plentiful and there’s the handy zoom button and different angled views.

Our Favorites:

1. Cuffed Drawstring City Short, $12.50.

2. Solid Knit Button Front Romper, $8.00.

3. Chambray Boyfriend Shirt, $22.00. The shirt everyone’s been wanting this summer.

More Charlotte Russe can be found here!

Piperlime: Fresh with a squeeze of trendy

Store Appeal: Piperlime. It’s the stylish web-only sister store to the Gap Inc. and its whole bevy of stores (Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta). With a focus on shoes and handbags (although they have come to include an awesome assortment of clothing and jewelry as well) Piperlime always offers the latest and most coveted items of the season. Bonus: free shipping and returns on all orders!

Our Vote: With guest editors like Rachel Zoe and all of the hottest brands on the market, Piperlime is a great source of fashion inspiration and has a wide selection of items to suit every woman’s taste (with great men’s and kid’s sections as well so you can shop for the whole family). The website is fresh, attractive, and easy to use. There’s also a nice blog section with tons of “As Seen In” images for all your celebrity+footwear viewing pleasure.

Our Favorites:

1. Pour La Victoire Tula open toe wedge, $239.99. A Rachel Zoe pick!

2. Steve Madden Serrious t-strap sandal, $39.00.

3. Rachel Pally Santa Monica dress, $246.00.

4. Joie Soft Garland tank, $68.00.

More Piperlime products can be found here.

Carmen Marc Valvo: Gowns, Couture, and More

Store Appeal: From runway to real world, Carmen Marc Valvo has captivated women’s wardrobes all over the globe with his stunning creations. Gowns, swimwear, couture, and more, he is an indispensable brand in every Saks, Bergdorf, and Neiman’s across the map. Mr. Valvo got his start in fashion at the famous Parson’s School of Design in New York, and since then has been synonymous with ladies evening and formal wear.

Our Vote: Although not everyone can afford a couture gown, the Carmen Marc Valvo collection has something for any budget. The gowns are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for any formal occasion, be it a wedding or black tie event. For those of you that may not frequent those types of events (like myself) he has a popular swimwear line as well as eye wear, accessories, and even home goods.

Our Favorites:

1. Maillot One-Piece Swimsuit, $150.00.

2. Stackable Glass Vases, $26.34.

3.  Tweed Cocktail Dress with Beading, $565.00.

4.  Knot Shoulder Chiffon Gown, $745.00.

More Carmen Marc Valvo can be found here.

Balenciaga Handbags and Wallets – Old World Meets Modern Girl

Store Appeal: While Balenciaga has been around since the beginning of the Twentieth Century, this luxury lifestyle brand has expanded its collection of handbags, leather goods and fragrances to appeal to the modern women while maintaining the couture quality the brand is rooted in. From opulent materials like lambskin, to vibrant use of color and shapes, a Balenciaga bag is easily defined by its structure, use of hardware and well-designed details.

Our Vote: Unlike many high-end designer’s online stores which either have very little content or are more about the design of the site versus the utility of shopping, the Balenciaga site combines both artistry and function, making it highly navigable and a pleasure to view. While Balenciaga is well-known for its red carpet gowns and couture frocks, its handbags and leather goods are perhaps what the brand is best known for in recent years, thanks to the advent of the “it bag.”

Our Favorites:

1.) City Patchwork (in blues or golds) – $2,345

2.) Giant Money (in Moutarde) – $555

3.) Canard Compagnon Wallet – $ 575

Shop Balenciaga online…

Bare Escentuals – The Mineral Gold Standard

Store Appeal: Best known for their line of mineral makeup, cosmetics line Bare Escentuals has hundreds of skin care and makeup products as well as different product lines to that appeal to women across age groups and sectors and is considered to be the gold standard when it comes to mineral makeup. The “Buxom Babes” line is a bold 40s and 50s homage to the glamorous looks of Hollywood’s golden era. Rare Minerals is the skincare line that activates the minerals from the makeup designed to make your skin better from the inside-out. With collections and kits that

Our Vote: The Bare Escentuals online store is very much focused on the shoppers needs. The cosmetics line not only has hundreds of different products to look at and review, but it also has a strong social media presence and is well laid-out. The site “spotlights” varying products to help educate the customer and offers free shipping for orders over $50 – just what the savvy shopper looks for!  Plus, Bare Escentuals is the undisputed leader in mineral makeup and if you haven’t used mineral makeup before, chances are you know somebody who probably does – a testament to how popular this trend has become thanks to Bare Escentuals.

Our Favorites:

1.) Brush with Greatness – $49

2.) bareMinerals Blue Eyecolor – $13

3.) Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish – $18

See more from Bare Esenctuals…

Bodhi: A Taste of Simplicity

Store Appeal: Bodhi? Never heard of the word? According to wikipedia, this ancient Sanskrit word can be defined as follows: “Bodhi is traditionally translated as “enlightenment”, but frequently (and more accurately) translated as “awakening” or “to Know“.

That being said, you can see the minimalist, Zen-like simplicity of the bags designed by Angela Han and Joseph Janus of Bodhi handbags and accessories. This collection is comprised of traditional canvas and leather goods, designed with function in mind, and have an architectural sophistication about them. They have both a men’s and women’s collection, and have been featured in publications worldwide, including Oprah Magazine and Maxim.

Our Vote: The site is very user friendly, with clean images that really showcase the craftsmanship and architectural quality of the bags. The website also has a great section of travel accessories. The leather Kindle holder really caught my eye, as I haven’t seen many companies designing accessories for the ever so popular Kindle wireless reading device.

Our Favorites:

1. Small soft leather clutch in Tusk, $228.00.

2. Men’s modern leather briefcase in Iced Latte, $698.00.

3. Travel drawstring canvas backpack in Tequila Gold, $498.00.

More Bodhi bags can be found here.

Cherry and East: Home is Where the Heart is

Store Appeal: I love this site and the story behind it! Cherry and East references the New Jersey  street corner where founder of Cherry and East website Pamela Stanmire grew up. Her fond memories of that little corner in South Jersey brought her to name this amazing modern home goods site after it. Amazing indeed, Cherry and East features some of my favorite quirky products and brands, including Jonathan Adler and Dwell Studio.

Our vote: Great website with wonderful visual appeal. Easy to navigate and you can search by category or by designer. Pamela has a wonderful eye for home goods and accessories, and I am totally digging the website with it’s mix of  modern plus retro/vintage style. I highly recommend checking the website out right now! I want everything on it! It’s going to be tough picking out favorites, but here goes…

Our favorites:

1. Organic Bark Duvet Cover, $200.00. A lovely and modern tree branch duvet design.

2. Jonathan Adler Whale Pitcher, $95.00. Adorable! High on my wish list.

3. Bird Chinoiserie Placemats, $24.00. I can’t resist anything with birds on it.

4. Filigree Large Bowl, $36.00. Delicate filagree detailing, so pretty.

5. Air Tea Towel, $10.00. The most precious dandelion print.

See more Cherry and East here.

Betsey Johnson: Forever Young

Store Appeal: Funky and fun-loving designer brand Betsey Johnson is a brand that never loses its sassy style. Betsey got her start in the 60′s, where Edie Sedgwick modeled her clothes and she dressed the iconic band  The Velvet Underground. Today her bold style and taste still hold true as she continues to bring a sparkle and pow to her collection of women’s clothing and accessories. Betsey is a truly unique designer and has become an icon of sorts herself, with her signature super funky girly-meets-glam style. It’s over the top, yes, but what girl doesn’t like playing dress up? Betsy gives every girl a chance to step outside the box and have fun with fashion as it’s meant to be.

Our Vote: Love the eye-catching home page image with it’s oh-so-Betsy colorful leopard print background. Easy to navigate site where you can find everything from apparel to shoes to accessories to intimates, as well as great images of her current (and previous) runway collections.

Our Favorites:

1. Plastic Round Frame Sunglasses, $95.00.

2.Tough Love X-Body Evening Bag, $125.00.

3. Skull Thermo Mini Dress, $198.00.

4. Liberty Cotton Bustle Corset, $198.00.

Find more Betsey Johnson here.

Crabtree and Evelyn: Stop and smell the…

Store Appeal: Romantic florals and the sweet smell of blossoming flowers…that’s what comes to mind when I think of Crabtree and Evelyn. Founded in 1972, Crabtree and Evelyn have created a long lineage of fine lotions, creams, and scents that showcase natural plant, flower, and fruit essences. I also really love their selection of gift sets; my cousin gave Crabtree and Evelyn gift boxes  to all the bridesmaids for her recent wedding.

Our Vote: An clean, simple, easy to use site with an amazing range of products separated by collections (i.e. Gardners, Citron, Lavendar, La Source, etc.) You just click on a collection/scent to view a description and list of products. I’m favoring the Citron collection, a scent infused with honey and coriander and an Allure magazine recommendation.

Our Favorites:

1. Evelyn Rose Triple Milled Hand Soap: $20.00

2. Citron Rejuvenating Hand Remedy: $25.00

3.  La Source Relaxing Body Lotion: $17.99

4. Purifying Aromatic Candle: $30.00

5. Distillations Relaxing Lavendar Oil: $20.00

Shop more Crabtree and Evelyn right here.

Clarks USA: Not your grandpa’s shoes…

Store Appeal: Clarks, you say? Yes, the Clark’s you’ve remembered your grandpa wearing since you were a kid. Slowly but surely Clarks is experiencing a revival among fashionistas across the globe. With an English heritage dating back to 1825 (yes, 1825!) you can be assured they know what they’re doing and their timeless style has stood up to it’s legacy. Don’t believe me? Here’s the fashionista herself, Sarah Jessica Parker donning the Clark’s Desert boot, an alternative to this season’s men’s inspired oxfords. I love the boyish rugged shoes paired up with a girly outfit for an unusual and modern twist on this summer’s fashions.

Our Vote: Very basic, straightforward site with simple navigation tabs. However, I do prefer beso’s online Clarks store for it’s easy-to-browse ability. I like seeing a bunch of options at once, and the beso site allows me to scroll through tons of shoes quickly and efficiently.

Our Favorites:

1. Classic Clarks Desert Boot, $95.00.

2. Clarks Splendor Lily Sandal, $90.00.

3. Clarks Miami Beach Wedge, $80.00.