Shop Girl
There's more to Anchorage retail than polar fleece and Croc clogs. Fashion-obsessed shopper Leslie Boyd will spot hot trends, scout the shops and bring you the cool goods. She doesn't mind doing the footwork if she can shop for cute shoes along the way.
Archive
Read up, make plans - 10/10/2007 6:44 pm
Garbage is going into hibernation - 10/10/2007 3:20 pm
Fusion is good for fashion too - 10/9/2007 9:48 pm
Wearable art finds niche at Dos Manos - 10/8/2007 7:19 am
Choco-shop-aholic - 10/4/2007 9:20 pm
One Friday, several spots - 10/4/2007 8:59 pm
Opportunities to shop abound in October - 10/1/2007 8:50 am
Cruggly - 9/30/2007 1:48 pm
Just in time for us - 9/26/2007 2:01 pm
Designer establishing herself with trunk show - 9/24/2007 7:53 am
Cor Cosmetics sale on Friday - 9/19/2007 8:27 pm
Trendspotting: hunting plaid rad - 9/19/2007 8:04 pm
Hollywood girls gone styled - 9/19/2007 7:56 pm
Learn to say au revoir to sweats and jeans - 9/17/2007 8:32 am
New at the 5th Avenue - 9/16/2007 9:44 pm
New York Report: tiny taste of Fashion Week - 9/16/2007 9:37 pm
Fresh face for less - 9/13/2007 11:20 pm
More end-of-summer shopping to do - 9/11/2007 9:19 pm
Early artistic leanings land tailor-made job in fashion - 9/10/2007 7:29 am
First Friday is for shopping - 9/7/2007 12:22 pm
End-of-season sale at She - 9/5/2007 10:44 pm
Take a chance at fair fashion - 9/3/2007 9:32 am
Read up, make plans
OCTOBER 10, 2007 - 6:44 PM
If you have retail ambitions, this weekend has the potential to be busy but rewarding. Here’s a rundown of events to see and sales to shop:
Bella Sera at Nordstrom
In celebration of the Mayor’s Diversity Month, Nordstrom is showcasing the work of a different local designer each week. Since Monday, the designs of Daneen Barba, the lady behind the Bella Sera line, have been on display.
You can check out the clothes for the rest of the week, and Barba will be there in person on Friday and Saturday from noon-3 p.m. Look for Barba and Bella Sera on the second-floor landing between the elevators.
Garbage is going into hibernation
OCTOBER 10, 2007 - 3:20 PM
Garbage, the renewed clothing boutique on G Street, will close its doors at the end of October and reopen next spring in a new location (don’t ask where – owner Leslie Bentson said via e-mail that it’s yet to be determined). So if you want a good deal on some gently used goods, head to the downtown spot. There will be sale prices next week before the doors close for winter.
Fusion is good for fashion too
OCTOBER 9, 2007 - 9:48 PM
Fortune Denim
Check it out denim lovers, there’s a new jean in town. Fortune Denim is finding fame for its Eastern detailing and craftsmanship and super-nice Italian and Japanese denim. There are also novel features, such as the Asian-inspired buttons with Swarovski crystals.
Never mind all that, I just love the personal fortune sewn into the waistband of every pair. It’s like they're predicting that you'll have a fabulous time whenever you wear ‘em.
Wearable art finds niche at Dos Manos
OCTOBER 8, 2007 - 7:19 AM
“Is this a restaurant? A massage place?” Kara Kirkpatrick said, imitating the phone calls she got when her shop, Dos Manos, opened last September.
“They didn’t really get it,” she said. “It’s just a funky place to come and get gifts for people or themselves.”
While its dubbed a “funktional” art gallery by Kirkpatrick and co-owner Stephanie Johnson, Dos Manos carries a range of goods, from the wearable to the wall-bound. There’s just one rule. “Everything in here has to be handmade locally or locally connected,” Kirkpatrick said. “From the beginning, we were really into art and handmade things. We wanted to have a place for up-and-coming artists.” Across the street from midtown retail anchor REI, Dos Manos is tucked beside The Bead Shack in a nondescript brown building. A small garden of peas and wildflowers grows along a handcrafted metal fence lining the walk to the front door, and a handmade mosaic sign signals the store’s open-or-shut status.
Choco-shop-aholic
OCTOBER 4, 2007 - 9:20 PM
There are still two days left of Artic Poppy Boutique's chocolate surprise sale. The downtown shop is teaming with new spot Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge to offer you chocolate treats and shopping discounts of up to 40 percent off.
Head to Artic Poppy from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday or 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. The boutique is located at 415 L St. For more information, call 279-3911 or visit the boutique on myspace.
One Friday, several spots
OCTOBER 4, 2007 - 8:59 PM
Check out these First Friday shopping options:
Bagoy’s Florist & Home (midtown location)
Local jewelry designer Jessica Collins is showing and selling accessories from her line, Houghtonhill, at Bagoy’s Florist in midtown.
“I’ve never had so much jewelry in one location before and a lot of it is brand new – nobody’s ever seen it,” Collins said.
Houtghtonhill’s First Friday reception is from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., but the jewelry will be available all day. Bonus: Bagoy’s always hosts a sale in conjunction with its First Friday events. Bagoy’s is located at 440 E. Benson Blvd. Call 278-1922 for more information.
Opportunities to shop abound in October
OCTOBER 1, 2007 - 8:50 AM
Just when you thought the summer session of fashion events and supersales was over, October rolls in and we get another chance to spend money. This time, you can make your outfits pop with pink.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a few local venues are offering opportunities to style yourself while supporting research and awareness.
COUTURE AND COCKTAILS
The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center will host Couture and Cocktails on Oct. 19. The event is a runway fashion show featuring collections from three local shops, and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Alaska Run for Women, a local organization that raises money for and awareness of breast cancer.
Cruggly
SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 - 1:48 PM
It’s been awhile since we had a Croc update here. But with the much-maligned shoes (at least on this blog, anyway) in the news lately for all the danger they’re posing for children on escalators, I figured it was time to take a look at the lastest Croc offerings and see what else needs a warning label.
I heard this bit of lingo about the Croc Mammoth yesterday and almost choked on my coffee because it was so funny. Meet the Crugg – at least that’s what the kids are calling it – nicknamed for the croslite and faux sheepskin combo that is reminiscent of the other footwear we love to hate and hate to love.
Just in time for us
SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 - 2:01 PM
For all those who thought the addition of a Coach store at the 5th Avenue mall would just create an onslaught of over-the-top signature bags, check out Coach’s new fall Bleecker line. (Thanks for the tip, Maia!) The leather is lovely and the options go beyond the assaulting “C” that's more status symbol than anything else. What do you think?
Designer establishing herself with trunk show
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 - 7:53 AM
One of the first things I discovered about Kirsten Longly, a local seamstress and clothing designer, is that despite her talent and her productivity she has a small wardrobe.
"Seamstresses don't have their own clothes -- they've given them to everybody," Longly said with a laugh.
Until last week, several of Longly's pieces were on display at Three Sisters Fabric. Now, instead of making it into her closet, they're scattered around her Hillside living room. A clothing steamer rested in a corner, and two dressmaker mannequins were set up along a back wall. One mannequin wore an olive-green three-tiered dress, the other an off-white polyester wedding dress with several strands of pearls lining the neck.
Cor Cosmetics sale on Friday
SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 - 8:27 PM
All Cor Cosmetics products will be 20 percent off on Friday. Stop by Cor's studio between noon and 7 p.m. to check out the mineral makeup offerings, get color matched and shop with the discount. Cor’s studio is located at 3105 Lakeshore Drive in the Lakeshore Towers, building B. Call 727-4220 for more information or visit here or here.
Trendspotting: hunting plaid rad
SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 - 8:04 PM
Hunting Plaid: Roxy Holly Jacket
Hunting plaid looks are in season, but they’re a bit more fitted and feminine than your grandpa’s Filson fleece. So bag these, no permits necessary:
Forever 21 Wool Jacket ($32.80)
Roxy Holly Plaid Jacket at Zumiez ($80)
Hollywood girls gone styled
SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 - 7:56 PM
People magazine has an online gallery pairing the early and awkward stylings of a few leading ladies with their current red-carpet looks. Somehow, Catherine Zeta-Jones in layers of black lace and Halle Barry all dressed up in polka dots and shoulder pads makes our own fashion disas
Learn to say au revoir to sweats and jeans
SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 - 8:32 AM
I'd bet my next month's shoe shopping allowance that most women fall into two categories when it comes to working the racks. You either love it with a passion that burns hotter than Chanel Iman on the runway, or you hate it so much you'd rather poke your eye out with a stiletto heel.
For my friend Jessica, meltdowns in dressing rooms are common. She's 5-foot-2 and stocky, so she always runs into trouble finding pants that fit her waist but don't have nine football fields of fabric tripping her up. And finding tops that offset her broad shoulders? She's come to terms with the football jersey look.
New at the 5th Avenue
SEPTEMBER 16, 2007 - 9:44 PM
Give the new Bare Escentuals makeup counter at Nordstrom a walk-by. The tray of glimmer eyeshadows in a rainbow of colors will make you feel like you're in a candy store.
Nordstrom’s Encore department started carrying Paige Premium Denim last month. Look for the designer jeans in sizes 14-24.
The Coach logo is up on the construction barricade on the third floor in the former Remember Alaska location. The aerie store is also under construction on the third floor, close the J.C. Penney entrance.
New York Report: tiny taste of Fashion Week
SEPTEMBER 16, 2007 - 9:37 PM
Tanner Randall, the local designer who brought us Nanuq of Alaska, has moved to New York City where he is studying in the menswear program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He’s happy to share his experiences since he left Anchorage in mid-August, and you can continue to check in here from time to time for updates on what this Alaska export is learning in fashion school and from life in the Big Apple.
Sept. 15
"This morning, on my way to pick up the New York Times Men’s Style of 2007 magazine ($4 for the entire Sunday New York Times), I felt a slight chill in the air for the first time since I’ve been here. If the explosion of new fall collections in all the stores isn’t indicative to the changing season, the air certainly is. Which means good news for me – my whole wardrobe is based on layering and insulation!
Fresh face for less
SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 - 11:20 PM
Bath and beauty boutique About Face is the latest local shop to offer an end-of-summer sale that makes up for the fall air and makes room for fall wears. Two days worth of deals starts Friday, and you can find 20-75 percent off select loungewear, 20-50 percent off lingerie from brands such as Aubade ad Elle MacPherson, and 30-75 percent off bath and body products from L’Occitane, Fresh and Earthworks.
About Face is located at 720 D St. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Call 279-3223 for more information.
More end-of-summer shopping to do
SEPTEMBER 11, 2007 - 9:19 PM
Boutique Blush is next in line to offer some smokin’ end-of-summer deals to make room for fall gear. Starting Wednesday, select dresses, tops, lingerie, jeans and jackets will be marked down 50-75 percent off.
You can also head over to Spoiled, the children and maternity boutique, where there will be a 50 percent-off rack of maternity, infant and toddler goods, a $5-$10 table and shoes and boots for 75 percent off.
The sales start Wednesday and last through Saturday. Both stores are open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. for the sale. Blush is located at 720 D St., and Spoiled is at 610 C St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues.
Early artistic leanings land tailor-made job in fashion
SEPTEMBER 10, 2007 - 7:29 AM
Sketch by Alexandria Hardesty
If you trade the poisoned apple for a car accident, a knight in shining armor for a chiropractor and a castle for a major fashion house, Alexandria Hardesty's life has so far unfolded a little bit like a fairy tale.
Hardesty, 22, is a born-and-raised Alaskan, a self-described introvert and, until recently, an aspiring artistic type trying to survive in Los Angeles.
Now, as assistant designer for BCBG Max Azria Atelier, Hardesty is intimately involved in shaping high-end fashion for a major U.S.-based label.
First Friday is for shopping
SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 - 12:22 PM
Bella Boutique will be featuring the work of Minerva Orduno during tonight’s First Friday event. Orduno is an architect by day and a jewelry artisan by night. She’ll have her silver jewelry on display as well as some kicky knit wears. The reception is from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
If you can’t make it to First Friday with Bella, you can always check out Orduno’s jewelry during the week. Bella is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The store is located at 333 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 8. Call 644-4989 for more information.
Garbage is also on the map for First Friday. The renewed clothing boutique is bringing in fall clothes, such as fun coats and boots, and featuring the work of photographer Devon Matricardi too. Garbage is located at 304 G St.
End-of-season sale at She
SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 - 10:44 PM
She Boutique is having a sale to clear out summer stock, and the discounts on select items are huge. Like up to 75 percent off huge. You can also get 50 percent off Nanette Lepore shoes and 25 percent of regularly priced jewelry and handbags.
She is located at in the Anchorage 5th Avenue mall, (Sixth Avenue street entrance across from Nordstrom). Hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m., Sunday. Call 929-5655 for more information. The sale lasts through Sept. 16.
Take a chance at fair fashion
SEPTEMBER 3, 2007 - 9:32 AM
A few days before I went fashion hunting at the Alaska State Fair, my friend Jessica confidently told me that dressing for the fair is like dressing for the supermarket.
"Honestly, who cares what you look like when you're stuffing your face with elephant ears," she said. "I'm just shopping for food at the fair anyway."
Maybe it was the corn dog or the cream puff or the funnel cake, but when I set out on the first fair weekend with fashion in my sights, my stomach felt a little heavy. Her words were echoing loudly in my head, and even the Charlie Daniels Band couldn't drown them out.
Is judging fair fashion really even fair? Who am I to say you should risk ruining fancy fabrics while gnawing on barbecue and twirling on the tilt-a-whirl?
New York Report: flossin' on Nanuq and getting fashion schooled
SEPTEMBER 2, 2007 - 11:15 AM
Tanner Randall, the local designer who brought us Nanuq of Alaska, has moved to New York City where he is studying in the menswear program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He’s happy to share his experiences since he left Anchorage in mid-August, and you can continue to check in here from time to time for updates on what this Alaska export is learning in fashion school and from life in the Big Apple.
Morocco Croco Messenger Bag: Randall designed and made this Moroccan-themed messenger bag, and a matching visor, during his first week in New York City.
Celebrate Labor Day with Clothesline Consignment
SEPTEMBER 1, 2007 - 5:33 PM
The ladies of Clothesline Consignment claim they have nowhere to go on Labor Day, so they’ve decided to spend it with you. The Midtown shop will host an end-of-summer sale from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. to make room for winter wears that will be filling the racks soon. Look for $5 deals on clothes, shoes and purses.
The store has also scored a limited stock of late-’70s, early-’80s jeans in mint condition. So get down there if you want to get your high waist on.
The Clothesline Consignment is located at 1441 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite A. Call 677-2773 for more information.
Sculpted shapes hot in cool fall fashions
AUGUST 27, 2007 - 7:25 AM
Early last week I set out to look for the best spots to find fall fashions that fit the trends. Armed with the mental images of towering women in blooming trouser pants, jewel-tone satin tops and structured suits I've collected from magazines, I was ready to track it all down.
But I discovered that, while a new season of clothes is showing up, I might have been optimistic looking for it all in the middle of August.
Yes, the Free People sundresses with delicate crocheted tops are migrating toward the sale rack in Nordstrom's t.b.d. department, argyle has replaced madras as the premier print in the J. Crew catalog, and there is a definite shift in the color palette in every department store from J.C. Penney to Gottschalk's. But for the most part, the local boutiques are still sorting through this season's shipments, and our options are about as broad as that pair of skinny jeans you just can't seem to get over your hips.
Check in at Costco for a few finds
AUGUST 26, 2007 - 12:40 PM
Costco currently has a few deals and cute buys worth checking out:
• Kenneth Cole down vests ($20): Good for the chill that is definitely in the air.
• Calvin Klein empire-waist knit tops ($15): The breezy style and pastel colors are a little more spring than fall, but still a good deal.
• Capelli wellies ($20): Cute colors and prints, and always functional.
Mayor Begich, you look marvelous
AUGUST 26, 2007 - 1:20 AM
Check out this month’s Esquire magazine for a stylish look at a few of the nation’s mayors, including Anchorage’s own (scroll down, he's second in the line up).
One question, Mayor Begich (actually I have several, but this is first on my list): How did those Pradas feel?
And you thought skinny jeans were bad
AUGUST 24, 2007 - 11:18 PM
Giddy up and get a load of these Seven for All Mankind stirrup jeans.
Why not just throw in some of these and a couple of these while we’re at it?
Local designer delivers last collection before departing
AUGUST 20, 2007 - 7:11 AM
Tanner Randall: Although Nanuq of Alaska designer Tanner Randall has primarily produced unisex pieces and a women's collection, he has always been interested in menswear, which he will study at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
A funny thing happened for Tanner Randall on the way to fashion school. The designer behind the Nanuq of Alaska label realized that a local kid can be noticed on the big-city style scene.
On a visit to New York City last March the curbside became Randall's catwalk. Wearing a striking gray tweed suit that he designed and constructed himself, he turned heads, had his picture taken and ended up appearing on the fashion page of the New York Press newspaper.
