Tag: Fashion

SMWLA The Style of Social Media: Fashion & Beauty Soiree

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k150_23SZDheel iconSocial Media Week LA pulled in the city’s top talent in tech, social, entertainment, fashion and beauty to share, learn, snap photos and party for a week straight. My head has been spinning learning about all the amazing companies out there and exploring the potential of what can be done online. The sky seems the limit – especially when it comes to the fashion and beauty space.

I attended a very special panel discussion and evening soiree focused on just that at the Project Gallery in Hollywood. There I learned about best social platforms to be on, best times to post, and best practices for a successful presence online. Special thanks to the hosts Jackie Chambers, TGIF Guide and Bella Graham, Lipstick, Lace & Lattes and the panelists Style Fashion Week, Entertainment Reporter Nina Parker, Hello Society, 365 Hangers and Mark Quest of Forte-The Collective and of course, all the fashionable folks who attended who made for great style-spotting!

Check out the party pix!

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Click here for more party photos!>>>

Always dress to impress,
Kastle

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Tag: Fashion

Pinup Girl Boutique: 1 Year Anniversary Party

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k150_21heel iconIt was an extra special night at the Pinup Girl Boutique. Celebrating the store’s 1-year anniversary, the clothing brand proved they successfully have made the leap from an online retailer to a couture fashion name with an international following of pinups. They have not only created a clothing line but a glamorous, retro-inspired lifestyle to aspire to that is lived everyday by “Team Pinup,” the models who not only show the looks in the catalog but also work in the store, design the clothes, create the hairstyles,  and offer their talent as makeup artists. They created this one-stop-shop to allow everyone be the pinup bombshell they always wanted to be!

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And they’ve clearly struck a cord with their audience, who love their monthly parties as a night to dress up and wear those fabulous Pinup Couture fashions.  These gatherings are always a great night to  go shopping because it’s like a living fashion show,  seeing so many people in the Pinup Girl Clothing.  My wish list always grows when I see what dress look good in real life. Fortunately, the parties coincide with Magnolia Park’s Ladies Night Out shopping nights when discounts of 10% and up make these fabulous fashions a little easier on the pocketbook.

For the anniversary party, the place was jam-packed. Drinks flowed, new friends were made and I was blown away by the talent lined up for the night. On the small stage in the center of the store, comedienne April Richardson, who sports her own retro flair and Bettie bangs, opened up the night and was hilarious.

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Next up was Andra Day whose soulful voice was so moving and she got us all grooving! She was discovered after going viral on YouTube with her covers of pop song mashups. She is currently signed with Warner Bros. Records and working her debut album.

Lastly but certainly not least, was Katrina Parker who gained attention for coming in 2nd place on “The Voice” TV show. She looked so sweet in her big ‘60s-style hairdo and her voice blew the place away. Katrina is gearing up to release an album funded by Kickstarter.

Both singers are right on the cusp of big time fame and now we can say we saw them early on!

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I always find it funny when the Pinup Boutique has performers in the store, they always comment, “this is the best looking crowd we’ve ever played to!” And it’s true, the pinup customer knows how to dress up for a night! The store was filled with beauties working their retro-inpsired look, which is elegant and sexy. Talk about some great people watching! And the night was capped with a toast as Team Pinup gathered on stage to thank their customers, raffle off some prizes and introduce a new line of Pinup Couture handbags for which the crowd gave a loud cheer. Did I mention my wish list was growing?

Check out the party pix below and more on Flickr.

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Click here for more PARTY PIX! 

Congrats Pinup Girl Boutique and thank you for your fabulous fashions and super-fun events!

I wish you many more years to come – ’cause I have some shopping to do! 🙂
Kastle

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Tag: Fashion

Dress Like Mad Men

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k150_19heel iconWith just a few days to go before the premiere of Season 6 of Mad Men,  I figured it was time to let you in on some secrets I know in how to live the Mad Men lifestyle – mainly how to dress and drink like our favorite characters. Today’s blog post will let you in on how to shop for the looks seen on the show.

While I have always love ‘60s fashions for their fun silhouettes and bold colors, Mad Men has brought those styles back with a distinction all their own. Now when I go out in my best ‘60s era vintage I’m told,  “you dress so Mad Men,” which I of course take as a compliment because I love the show so much.

k_jbryant1Part of the reason I love it is the care they’ve taken to get every detail right to recreate the decade of so many cultural shifts. Part of that credit goes to costume designer Janie Bryant, who I had the pleasure of meeting during a book signing at my favorite vintage store in Burbank:

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 The store not only has supplied some of the amazing vintage seen on the show but it is such a joy to shop in. It’s in a gorgeous space with frescoed ceilings, the clothes are tagged by era, everything piece is in nearly perfect condition, they have a HUGE inventory of women’s and men’s wear at fantastic prices and the staff is super friendly and helpful.

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Clever Vintage Clothing

Another vintage source that has amazing owners is Clever Vintage who I’ve frequently featured in this blog because not only are co-owners Dave and Sabino so knowledgeable about their fashion history and doing custom styling, the are also fabulous party pals! Dave and Sabino travel all across the country to curate their vintage treasures. You can purchase their fine pieces at one of the many shows they participate in, including Helm’s Design District Vintage Boutique and Burbank Pickwick. Check the events page on their website for upcoming dates or make an appointment at their downtown showroom.  They did wardrobe for Peggy and Betty in two separate episodes. Remember these outfits?

 

It was a genius move of marketing to get a major department store to work with Janie Bryant to design a line of contemporary clothing with a retro feel and make it accessible to everyone.  Banana Republic has been launching a new Mad Men collection at  the start of each season for the past few years and this one is no exception. Bold patterns and rich colors are featured here.  And these are great pieces for me to wear to work and still have a mod feel since I don’t dare subject my delicate vintage to long office hours.

 

Check out their inspiration and behind the scenes of the collection here.

And get 25% off through April 30 with this coupon.

What Katie Did Lingerie

Now, even your best vintage won’t look authentic unless you have the right undergarments.  Want to look and walk like Joan? Put yourself into one of these corsets and not only will you have an hourglass figure like you’ve never seen, but you’ll just WALK in a different way, a SEXY way!

What Katie Did specializes in designs influences by the glamour of the ‘40s and ‘50s film stars but with contemporary fabric and structure. Plus, were else can you find a gorgeous bullet bra these days?

 

     

And if you can’t get your hand on any of these clothes, you can always dress up virtually and “Mad Men Yourself” through the AMC website:

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So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get dressed up and mix a cocktail. Can’t wait for Season 6, starting on April 7th!

Stay tuned for Part II of Mad Men series next week where I show you more of how you can live the Mad Men lifestyle!

Now go shop!
Kastle

Photos of Vintage Playclothes by Kastle
Photos of Clever Vintage, Banana Republic Mad Men Collection, What Katie Did via Pinterest

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Tag: Fashion

London Calling: TopShop Comes to LA

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k150_17heel iconWhenever I’m in London, I make a point to hit TopShop. I’ve been known to do some serious damage to my credit card in that store, stuffing my suitcase with their unique, fun styles. I’ve longed for the day it didn’t take an international flight to shop there. So I was especially excited to hear they were opening in Los Angeles.  Last weekend, I ventured over to the Grove — early in the morning to avoid the crowds — to check out the newly opened TopShop/TopMan LA.  I found plenty of eye candy from bold print skirts and tops, comic book graphic splashed skirts, vintage-looking, beaded party dresses and a wall of shoes I could have easily filled my closet with.

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I headed for the fitting room with an armful of skirts and dresses and emerged with some purchases. However, not without discovering many of the sizes run small and most of the skirts in the store did not come in sizes larger than an 6 or 8, so there wasn’t an option to buy a larger size to avoid everything being ultra skin tight. I overheard other people commenting in the dressing room that everything was running small on them as well. Buyer be warned.  A few skirts I really wanted I just had to put back on the rack. Sorry, the stuffed sausage look isn’t my thing!

To make up for my disappointment, I headed for the accessories and found some super cute checkered and houndstooth print ankle socks and a Peter Pan collar-style necklace made out of faux pearls. I was able to put them together for an awesome ‘60s style outfit for club Spin Out that night. See pix below.

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And check out the video of TopShop’s opening celebration:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvg-ZckH95c]

See a slideshow peek inside the store HERE.

TopShop at the Grove in West Hollywood for a little bit of English style!

It’s tops!
Kastle

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Tag: Fashion

FabCounsel: Connecting with Style

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k150_17heel iconAt a recent networking party, I met Mary Vallarta, a petite dynamo in the fashion industry who has a passion for what’s trending in style, a head for business and a special social skill for connecting people. Having a background as a buyer and plenty of experience in the fashion biz, she decided to put her know-how to and connections to good use. She founded the FabCounsel to help people succeed in the fashion industry.

FabCounsel provides a wealth of resouces on how to break into the industry on its online site and Mary (pictured here) hosts events around town to give people interested in the industry the opportunity to meet and learn from each other. I recently attended her event “How To IMG_5811.jpgSell Your Fashion Line to Buyers and Retailers,” which took place downtown at chic boutique Brigade. A roomful of fashionistas filled the room to hear from esteemed panelists that  included: Alicia Allen, Director of Men’s Apparel for HauteLook, who spoke from her work in the corporate retail world, Kuo Yang, owner & founder of Brigade sharing his perspective as a small boutique owner and what he looks for in buying people’s lines to carry in his store, and Vanessa Lee, an experienced sales executive who’s worked with companies including Eight Sixty, Collective Concepts, Creative Commune, Daniel Rainn. She shared her knowledge in the art of selling, how to approach buyers, what to prep for before a sales meeting, what to bring to the meetings, how to follow up.

Some notes:

  • You have 15-20 seconds to make your pitch – know how to sell what you’re offering.
  • Know your target – where you fit in the market and the void that you fill.
  • Build your contacts – people want to do business with people they know.
  • Incentivize – offer something to get you in, a partial commission or something creative.
  • Build great collateral – line sheets and a look book that shows your designs. Get press clippings.
  • This is LA, go after celebrities and gift them items. While New York and Paris have the big fashion shows, we have red carpets. Those are our fashion shows.

Afterwards there was plenty of mingling, shopping and of course, checking out each other’s outfits! Here are the party pix:

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Just fab!
Kastle

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Tag: Fashion

A Conversation with Edith Head

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If you’ve ever ogled over some of the gorgeous gowns in classic films such as what Elizabeth Taylor wore in “A Place in the Sun” or Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holiday,” then you must be a fan of eight-time Academy Award winning costume designer, Edith Head.

Known throughout Hollywood as the funny little lady with black bangs and dark-rimmed glasses, she created some of the most glamorous silhouettes to ever hit the screen and dressed Tinsel Town’s most beautiful leading ladies.

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Actress Paulette Goddard in an Edith Head design

Though she passed away in 1981, a little theatre production and one amazing actress is giving fans a chance to get to know this amazing, creative and feisty woman.

“A Conversation with Edith Head” offers an evening with the talented designer inside her studio. Actress Susan Claassen not only looks like Ms. Head but has the facial expressions that you can only imagine Edith would make and completely cracks you up with some perfectly-timed quips and icy stares, especially when her inquisitive helper and host of the show Stuart Moulton asks her one too many questions or gently corrects her own recollections of Edith Head trivia.

Co-written by Claassen and Paddy Calistro (fashion journalist and author of “Edith Head’s Hollywood”), the production weaves Edith’s life story into what feels like a very personal sit down chat, as she gives some behind the scenes gossip of fitting stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly and Bette Davis. She also takes questions from the audience and doesn’t hesitate to step out into the crowd and assess everyone’s outfits – you better dress to impress if you’re going to see Edith Head!

Kastle with Susan Claassen as Edith Head

Wearing some of my finest and favorite vintage, I got an “Edith Head Approved” badge after the show (an honor!) and was lucky enough to take a photo. Even though it wasn’t the real Edith, I really felt like I spent an evening with the woman and I was as star struck as the real deal!

What an amazing night – thanks to this very special cast who gave so many of us who are fans of Edith Head and her fabulous designs a chance to get to know her in such an intimate and interactive way.

“A Conversation with Edith Head” is an absolute delight. You can check out some clips of the show on YouTube but it may be a bit of a spoiler – you really MUST see this in person. But hurry, it only runs at the Pasadena Playhouse Carrie Hamilton Theatre through December 1st!

For more Edith Head designs, check out the Stiletto City Edith Head Pinterest board.

Here’s to you Edith!
Kastle

You might also like >>> VIDEO: October 2013 Favorites in fashion, beauty and music!

Photo of Paulette Goddard from Wikimedia Commons 

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Tag: Fashion

Fashion’s Night Out 2012

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Fashion’s Night Out took place around the world last night and I for one wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to catch fashion shows, beauty bars, fall collection debuts, giveaways and special shopping discounts. We headed straight for the Beverly Center to catch the opening ceremony and fashion show. It was jam packed with excited fashionistas and the people watching in the crowd was almost as interesting as what was happening on stage. After the first of two fashion shows that featured looks available in some of the mall’s stores, we hit the shops in search of great fashion and great deals. Though we wanted to make it to the happenings on Robertson and Melrose, the traffic was so bad just to get to the Beverly Center, we decided to stay there for the second fashion show from Forever XXI and it was worth it as they showed some inspiring looks for fall – it’s all about patterns and layers ladies!

While my taste leans more towards unique vintage than mainstream mall looks, I do like to mix it up with some trendy pieces. My pal Fabby found a cute mini skirt and mod jacket (with a free goodie bag!) and I found a few cute accessories (with an FNO discount!) and plenty of photo ops in the creative outfits people wore for the night. In trend spotting news, the short-in-the-front-long-in-the-back dresses (also known as the “mullet dress“) seem to be all the rage and it does look mighty chic with a pair of stilettos! I also saw a lot of big, and I mean BIG, chunky earrings.

Click on the photo below to check out the photo and video slideshow for a roundup of all the action:

Dress like you mean it,
Kastle



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Tag: Fashion

Vintage Summer Style Exhibit at FIDM

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Summer has arrived, so what better time to take a look at a vintage summer style exhibit for those hot days ahead? Clever Vintage Clothing recently showed off a little bit of their carefully curated inventory in a special exhibit for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).

“Swingin’ Summer Vintage California Resort Wear” opened with a party drawing FIDM students and vintage clothes lovers. Clever’s Dave Temple and Sabino Gutierrez gave a walk through the exhibit explaining the top designers and clothing detailing of the eras of the 1940s-1960s.

See the video of the Vintage Summer Style Exhibit:

The exhibit runs one week through July 14th but if you can’t make it down, you just might catch these amazing pieces FOR SALE at one of Clever’s upcoming vendor events:

  •  July 29: Pickwick Gardens, Burbank
  • August 11: Helm’s Design District, Culver City
  • August 16-19: Tiki Oasis, San Diego

Stay cool,
Kastle



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Tag: Fashion

Book Purses: Dress Smart!

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What is it about purses – why can’t us girls get enough of them? There are just so many cute ways to carry your stuff! Actress Michelle Williams recently drew attention on the red carpet for making a fashion statement with an unusual handbag – a book purse.

See Michelle’s look.

While hers was from designer Olypia Le Tan, which sells for over 1K, the crafty people on Etsy have made some for you for a fraction of the fancy designer cost, like this one I found from SpoonfulOfChocolate:

If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own. It’s a great way to recycle an unused or vintage book. Learn how by watching a handy video on YouTube:

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Well, I for one have very little time for crafts so I’ll stick to shopping! Be sure to check out all of SpoonfulOfChocolate’s book purses.

It’s one sure way to flaunt your literary prowess and green leanings, while being ever-so-fashionable.

It’s in the bag,
K.



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Tag: Fashion

Peggy Moffitt: An Icon at MOCA

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If there is one icon of the ‘60s, it’s model Peggy Moffitt – the face, the eye makeup, the poses. When you see an image of her from that time, it immediately takes you back to that colorful era of the youthquake movement and the fashion, oh the fashion – bold colorful prints, mini skirts, angular shapes and cut-outs. I love it so much!

The Museum of Modern Art (MOCA) just put together a retrospective collection of Peggy Moffitt photos and films that focuses on her collaboration with fashion designer Rudi Gernreich and her photographer husband William Claxton. “The Total Look” exhibit is two full floors of eye candy at MOCA’s Pacific Design Center location that will send any ‘60s lover to the moon with walls lined with Peggy’s famous photos (some never seen before!) mannequins wearing the actual garments and films of her doing her famous moves. We get a look at her inspiring makeup (that she reportedly did herself), and of course that cutting edge Vidal Sassoon haircut.

Opening night was packed with MOCA members, retro hipsters, fashion’s elite, and those who were part of the ‘60s scene such as hairdresser-to-the-stars/ “Upper Cut” author Carrie White. Just as I thought my eyes were overwhelmed with all the fabulous imagery and clothing, Peggy Moffitt herself walked in the door! I couldn’t believe it. She still looks as amazing as ever – though in her elder years, she’s slim, still sporting her blunt black haircut and dark eye-makeup and dressed ever so stylish. Crowds swarmed around her as she made her way through the exhibit with her son, Christopher Claxton, as her escort.

All I can say is thank goodness Sabino from Clever Vintage showed up and was brave enough to ask her for a photo because I was so star-struck I couldn’t do it myself! Thank you Sabino! By the way, I did wear a Clever Vintage ‘60s frock to the event!

Click the image below to see the slideshow of the night:

What a spectacular night. Thank you MOCA for putting this together and thank you to the fabulous Peggy Moffitt – forever an icon!

The Total Look: The Creative Collaboration Between Rudi Gernreich, Peggy Moffitt, And William Claxton is on display through May 27 at the MOCA Pacific Design Center. 

Swing it!
K.



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