Store Appeal

Anthropologie: Vintage-y Delight

Store Appeal: If money was no object, Anthropologie would take over my closet by storm. From dresses to shoes to home accessories, I love every inch of this store! They’ve got a whimsical, vintage appeal and I love visiting the store to peek at the latest window display they have up. (I even found an entire flickr group dedicated to the wonderful Anthropologie storefronts!) Last time I was visiting my local Anthropologie freestanding store they used simple garden hose to fashion “baskets” of sorts, weaving hose together with some rope to create a stunning display. If you’ve got an Anthro store near you, you know what I mean; this store flows with creativity and it shows in their products! They’re all gorgeous, unique, and have great handmade details that make them stand out above other mass marketers.

Our Vote: Fashioned in the footsteps of it’s lovely stores, the Anthropologie website is lovely to look at with a handcrafted, scrapbook type feel. Whether you shop by outfit or design details you can’t go wrong. I especially like reading the customer reviews for the products; it’s a great way to get a real person’s opinion on what they liked or disliked about whatever it was they ordered. Also, there are great zoom-in/out features and multiple angles of the products so you know exactly what you’re getting. It’s love at first click!

Our Favorites:

1. Nexus ruffle top, $68.00.

2. Fine Cut oxfords, $128.00.

3. Sunday Spy shades, $28.00.

Find more Anthropologie here.

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.

UnitedShades: Let the sunshine in!

Store Appeal: A key essential now that it is officially summer is definitely a perfect pair of sunglasses. (Speaking of which, need a quick how to? Here’s a great guide to finding the right pair for your face type!) Getting back to track, United Shades is a great site for all of you picky people who want a ton of eyewear options all within the click of your mouse. 38 brands. 7000 styles. Online since 1997, they guarantee the authenticity of all their glasses so you don’t have to take a risk buying a fake pair from a shady site. I focused on sunglasses, but they also carry an amazing collection of glasses as well.

Our Vote: Ever wanted to order a pair of glasses online but been afraid if they’d look good or not? United Shades has the coolest feature ever on their site; virtual mirror! Upload a frontal picture of yourself and then virtually “try on” any pair of shades on the site!  Also, you can narrow your search options to frame type, frame shape, and they have a vintage eyewear section too!

Our Favorites:

1. Ray Ban Arista Gold Aviators, $127.00.

2. Dior Homme Black Tie Sunglasses, $187.00.

3. Christian Dior Symbol 3 Sunglasses, $214.00

Find more from United Shades here.

Alexis Bittar: Hidden Treasures

Store Appeal: I’m a simple girl when it comes to accessorizing and choosing my outfits, but don’t get me wrong; I’m a sucker when it comes to things like eye catching costume  jewelry. When I discovered Alexis Bittar’s jewelry collection I went all googly-eyed because his creations are the perfect mix of influences from things like vintage art deco to 80′s modern sculptural influences.  It’s to be expected from someone like him, whose credentials boast clients from Burberry to Pat Field of Sex in the City fame. No doubt you can see the craftsmanship and superb design talent from his various collections. Prepare to be wow-ed!

Our Vote: A very interactive website with Polaroid images of his jewelry and an illustrated timeline of his personal biography. You can find links to his blog as well as current/past jewelry collections. Great images of the jewelry as well as detailed descriptions.

Our Favorites:

1. Gold Crystal Encrusted Liquid Link Necklace. $195.00.

2. Crystal Encrusted Crevice Hinge Bracelet. $450.00.

3. Klimt Citrine Oval Drop Earring. $145.00.

More Alexis Bittar jewelry can be found here.