Results tagged “fashion”

LUPEC, the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, is having the prohibition-era equivalent of a pub crawl. The Chicago chapter is led by Sonja Kassebaum of North Shore Distillery, and with a slogan like "Dismantling the Patriarchy, One Cocktail at a Time," what's not to love? On November 12, LUPEC is hosting "Women Helping Women," an evening of shopping, drinking and charity. Participants (ladies or gentlemen) will take a tour through the fashionable shopping of the West Loop, visiting boutiques like Bess and Loie, 2 Sisters and Smitten. At each of the twelve stops, enjoy shopping and try one classic cocktail.

Add another heartbreak to the list for Kanye. First his tour with Lady Gaga gets canceled and now? His clothing line follows suit. Photos of his fashion line, Pastelle, hit the interwebz yesterday, but already, it seems, it's defunct. Not to be deterred, Kanye plans to try again with another line under his own name.

A look that demonstrates versatility to handle the temperamental Chicago weather, Robert wears his polyester trousers rolled up, along with a cardigan for extra warmth. Mixing different fabrics of black, Robert creates an interesting monochrome look.

Splattered in blues, yellows, and fluorescent reds, Corea paints a fresh, avant-garde, teenage look. By layering two dresses, Corea transforms a one-dimensional dress into a gradient of colors: from the dark grey top down to the mesh skirt popping with bursts of red. Offering us a glimpse of her soft side, Corea matches her tutu skirt with frilly socks, complementing each other in texture and fabric.

In a thin whimsical dress and matching headband, Elizabeth tiptoes down Michigan Avenue as if in a scene from the ballet. Her silky thigh-length dress creates a soft, ever changing shape blowing in the light breeze. With understated details like the silk flower corsages on the dress and the headband, Elizabeth creates a youthful and elegant look for the summer.

Redefining the classics, Ashley creates a new take on the timeless leather jacket with dark denim ensemble. With her low hanging scarf, she softens up what would otherwise be a masculine rigid look.

Like Holly Golighty peering into Tiffany’s on a quiet morning, Shannon stares into the camera showing off her look. Her high-waisted skirt and quarter sleeve cardigan wave gracefully as she walks the breezy Chicago streets. Leaving the pearls and tiara behind, Shannon accessorizes her outfit with a creamy blue cloche hat and flats, creating a casual yet elegant city look.

Seen in Wicker Park on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Henrí conjures up a hot '80s summer night in the city. A make-up artist, Henrí demonstrates her skills of color matching, and utilizing her natural skin tone to complete a look. With her nautical themed headscarf, body hugging jeans and tank top, Henrí looks sexy and self-assured.

As the temperature neared 75 degrees, Alexi and Chloe were seen walking down Michigan Avenue, their clothes contrasting eastern and western pop fashion. Alexi's streamlined denim button-up dress shirt and bow-tie play off the quintessential manga female - a cute, innocent waitress ... with attitude. Chloe, on the other hand, goes for the Kelly-Clarkson-hard-rock-yet-classy-Southern-bell appeal. Both ladies give a great snapshot of the current pop culture couture.

Flashing multiple layers and donning sunglasses, Chris, reminiscent of a young Usher, resembles an idolized teen pop star, adoring his fans on the city streets. His mix of checkers, stripes, and plaids collages different styles and genres into one cohesive look.

With a sweater draped over her for warmth against the brisk Chicago spring morning, Paige’s ensemble mixes diverse cultural textiles. The knit Norwegian-style sweater and the patterned pashmina scarf complement each other harmoniously in color and in pattern. Taking influences from Europe and Central Asia, Paige weaves together an elegant (and comfortable) look.

Andrew puts a new twist on the classic collegiate schoolboy look with his study in contrasting fit. His navy pea coat looks inflated, engulfing his skinny frame. Yet the sleeves are cut short, adding to his intriguing look. Contrasting his jacket, Andrew's super slim jeans wrap his legs tight, creating a sense of fragility that is mirrored in his delicate face.

All in grey and strutting down State Street, Debra looks poised in her high-heeled shoes and flood length pants. The grey stockings darken her fair-skinned ankle, allowing her face to shine as her only exposed feature. Add everything together with her over-sized leather bag and hat, Debra shows off a chic Parisian newsgirl look.

Caitlin’s beautifully structured hair commands attention. With the over-sized gold earrings complementing her skin and the luscious scarf softening up the straight-edged pea coat, Caitlin elegantly contrasts different textures. Her worn cowgirl suede boots adds a kick to her graceful ensemble, preparing her for the wilderness of the city streets.

Her fabulous Hollywood glam sunglasses separate Maria from the crowd of bustling commuters in the late afternoon. The fluorescent red full-length coat and cotton-knit hat gleam against her fair hair and skin. Mixing traditional and trendy items, Maria shows that fashion is also for the young at heart!

Thanks to la recession, high-end fashion designers are teaming up with mass retailers like never before, so you can look stylish at a fraction of the cost. Here’s a round-up of spring’s high/low collaborations, as well as some sneak peeks for fall 2009.

  

With her pants rolled up and her ankles exposed, Joan's sense of proportion is striking. Her thigh-length tunic pulls her down, her hands sinking deep into the wells of her pockets, but her rolled pant legs defy gravity to pick her up. An essential element of her outfit, the hiked-up Huckleberry slacks prepare Joan for her adventures in the big city.

  

Doused in black, Lady in the Park was enjoying a quiet lunch break on a sunny afternoon. Her interpretation of an all-black outfit focuses less on texture (see Tracy) and more on accents and accessories. Her beautiful detailed scarf brings out her cat-like eyes and complements her flat bangs. Regardless of the differences between this outfit and Tracy's, they both use the color black effectively to create a subdued background that allows the details (whether they be woven patterns or bright scarves and undershirts) to pop.

  

Tracy loves cotton, so much so that she wraps herself in it from head to toe. Her horizontally ribbed sweater and vertically cable knit tights create an stunning contrast, yet they don't seem too excessive. Contouring her body, the shadows extenuate the cotton textures, while the blackness of her ensemble creates a subdued canvas, on which only the ribs and knots stand out. It’s a great way to show off what a mix-match set of woven patterns can do.

After a long winter, the first few days of warm weather brought along a pleasant change to puffy jackets and thick boots. Shedding the down feathers and extra layers, Valerie was caught breezing by with a refreshing thin jacket and light silk scarf; she was late for giving one of her Chicago chocolate boutique tours. Her vivid yellow coat plays well with the splash of blue and purple on her scarf and bag, making for a festive, yet elegant, springtime look.

  

Like so many other Chicagoans, Justine throws on her oversized black coat on a cold day. But as a bold twist, she decides to wrap her zig-zag scarf around her like a poncho. Her curved bangs cut into the sharp lines of her scarf and soften what would otherwise be a harsh statement. Justine carries her dramatic look with confidence; not everyone can pull this off.

Spotted outside a crowded café in Pilsen, Miguel’s style is summed up by one word: fun. His wild tied-back hair, red bandana, and thick, black-frame glasses all sum up his relaxed personal style. He could have easily been lost in the crowd with the well-worn cardigan and t-shirt combo if it weren’t for his unique look, accessories, and playful mix of colors: red, grey, black, and a splash of yellow. If Che Guevara wanted to look fun, this would be it.

  

In her high heels, mom-to-be strutted down Michigan Avenue on a mission. When interrupted to be photographed, she hurriedly asked, “What time is it? Oh, ten before eleven. Sure, I have time”. A few shots later and she had to go. With a motherly pat on the back, she smiled, “Good luck to you.”

  

Latithia got off the brown line on her way to the public library. When asked to be photographed, she hesitated, Wait, is this a bad fashion blog? After being assured that this is not a bad fashion blog (well, depending on whom you ask), she agreed to step out into the light to show off her look. An aspiring fashion student, Latithia knew exactly how to strike a pose with no guidance.

From Helsinki to Tokyo, Brooklyn to Copenhagen, the fast fashion inspiration of street style websites is everywhere. Even on Chicagoist! And these photoblogs of everyday people randomly grabbed for a quick fashion pic are changing how we dress.

Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State, 9th Floor

Has there been a more predictable year for the Academy Awards than this one? Not since Titanic, in our view; and wouldn't you know it, Kate Winslet is up for Best Actress again. Roger Ebert is predicting a win for her, one for Sean Penn in Milk, and a whole mess of awards for the all-but-unstoppable acclaim-train that is Slumdog Millionaire. In an annual tradition Mr. Ebert once again invites you to try and outguess him for a chance to win a trip for two to the world premiere of Disney/Pixar's Up. If the results are as surprise-free as we're expecting, outguessing Ebert is going to hinge on a wild card category like Best Documentary (he's predicting Man on Wire, but don't overlook Trouble the Water).

Chicago's rap superstars have proven time and time again that Windy City style is not an oxymoron. Kid Sister had girls rushing off to nail salons to get their "toes done up with [their] fingernails matching" and while men won't be asking their barbers for Kanye West's "frollet" anytime soon, you can't help but respect his sartorial choices. Now, in partnership with Product (Red), Lupe Fiasco will have sneaker heads buzzing with his 100 Supplementaire Converse All Stars. The white high tops—with Fiasco's thoughts printed in black type—are part of the Chuck Taylor(R) ALL STAR(R) x Africa line, which uses African canvas, mudcloth, and artists' designs to "help eliminate AIDS in Africa." - Post by Anthonia Akitunde

In what looks to be a mediocre imitation the Sun-Times' Hottest Fans photo contest, the Trib has been featuring a photo slideshow of Cubs and Sox fans wearing out of date jerseys this week. We'd have to believe they'll soon open the floodgates for fan submissions, no?

Sears announced yesterday that it will begin selling official U.S. Army-licensed clothing. The All American Army Brand's First Infantry Division collection will offer "vintage inspired design, intricate attention to detail, and supreme quality standards, inspired by Army technology," according to Sears's press release. The clothes, ranging in price from $12 for a t-shirt to $120 for coats, will be in stores in October. [Sears]