Zara has really upped its fashion game lately. (The New York Times recently mused that Zara pieces can often pass for pricier lines like Celine — aka Zeline.) The clothes are purposefully minimalist, moody and somewhat anonymous, unlike the offerings at other fast-fashion retailers. Lately, I can’t walk in without experiencing the Target phenomenon (in […]
Catalog Police
5 Weird Things in Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale
The middle of summer tends to be a slow season for retailers. (Everyone is more busy tanning and vacationing instead of shopping.) This explains why every retailer, from Maje to J. Crew, is currently on a discount bonanza. But no mid-summer sale is as hyped as Nordstrom’s annual “Anniversary” sale, in which fall merchandise goes on sale. […]
Review: & Other Stories
When the European chain of stories called & Other Stories opened a U.S. location, it immediately developed a fervent buzz as a cheap-chic destination. You guys know I am always skeptical of any over-hyped store, so I visited the Soho location this week to form my own opinion. & Other Stories is owned by H&M, but […]
Review: J.Crew’s July 2015 Style Guide
J. Crew is in the middle of it’s spring sale bonanza, which means the fleet of catalogs it sent to customers this week was no coincidence or accident. Most of the pages are devoted to standard summer fare: generically ethnic woven sandals, bland tissue-thin tees, raffia baseball caps. Nothing great. Nothing too terrible, either. As always, […]
Review: J.Crew’s 2015 CFDA Collaboration
For the last five years, J.Crew has supported the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). As part of its sponsorship of the annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, J.Crew sells a selection of merchandise from the winner and two finalists. Historically, this is always the most exciting merchandise available at J.Crew. (I wrote about a silk blouse I bought […]
Let’s Review Anthropologie’s Latest Catalog
Happy Friday, friends! Another weekend is upon us, which means it’s time for Catalog Police, a weekly takedown of the mail-order catalog horrors arriving on our doorstep. Today, we’re discussing Anthropologie’s June catalog preview, which you can view online here. Happily, I can report that most of the outfits are delightful, including this gingham shirt, […]
Wildfox Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop (With the Statement Tees)
TGIF, party animals. Another Friday means another installment of Catalog Police, our weekly discussion of the latest catalogs, and how they’re blinding humanity one page at a time. This week, we’ll be looking at Wildfox’s latest lookbook for its spring collection. It’s all the wacky slogan tees, statement sweatshirts and bizarrely sexual imagery we’ve come to […]
It’s a J. Cruel Summer
TGIF, people. I’m borderline giddy because I think we’ve finally — sorta — reached spring. (I’m still wearing a trench coat half the time, but CLOSE ENOUGH.) Today, I’m reviewing J. Crew’s latest style guide, which is chock full of its warm-weather offerings. (There’s virtually no office wear on offer, so apparently, J. Crew customers have […]
Nordstrom’s Latest Catalog is Hit-Or-Miss
It’s TGIF time, which means it’s time for another installation of Catalog Police, my weekly review of mail-order catalogs. This week, I’m looking at Nordstrom’s Spring 2015 lookbook, which I must admit — I do not normally receive. (Probably because the only time I ever go to Nordstrom is when I’m visiting Miami or Chicago. Seriously, […]
What to Wear on Your Hippie Cruise
What a week, am I right? TGI Friday, which means it’s time to critique one of the many catalogs that arrive on my doorstep. This week, we’re focusing on Free People, an old favorite. It’s a spring catalog, so the clothing is minimal (mostly sandals and bikinis) to get you frothy with excitement over replenishing your […]