New wardrobe essential alert...

Finally, the trend of volume and draping has made its way into mainstream fashion! Not only is it more comfortable, but it is often more flattering and interesting - 3 things that are great for anything you have to wear for more than a couple of hours.

Take, for example, your basic t-shirt. While that standard white, ribbed neckline and tiny pocket version may still work as a classic, why not update it a bit for your every day AND going out wear? Try something with much more volume and in an unusual color (gray? fuschia?), some new details (ruffles? pintucks?) and more luxe materials (bamboo jersey? silk?). Then pair it with the usual - a little pencil or mini skirt, jeans, shorts or the UNusual - a suit or leggings, maybe...

I especially like the look of reining in some of the blousiness with a wide or skinny belt or layering a bunch of long necklaces over the top of it, turning a basic outfit into something much more special.

Need some examples?

American Apparel Viscose Dolman Sleeve T
Anthropologie Captured Furrows Tee
Splendid Jersey V-Neck
Free People Draped Scoop Muscle Tee

Now, newly inspired, give your closet a new definition for t-shirt!

Oh, oh UNIQLO...

It's been said that if you were to take H&M and American Apparel + add a dash of Japanese fashion flair, you'd get UNIQLO. If you love the Euro and/or Japanese feel in your fashion and have a serious addiction to solid colors and well-made, affordable, comfy basics that you can make your own, this is the place to go.

The Japanese characters for UNIQLO sound like "U-NI-KU-RO" which is, to a Japanese ear, the shortened version of "unique clothing." "Clothes as lifestyle components" is the Japanese retailer's mantra, and I'm so loving that this Tokyo-based export wants us to be part of its world!

Unfortunately for us American ladies, the only U.S. store is the NYC SOHO Store, the brand's largest retail outlet in the world. Thank goodness for the Internet!

UNIQLO's website layout is pretty genius - super-clear pictures, great tidbits of global fashion snapshots, fun interactive features and search tools that are ridiculously easy to use and make a lot of sense (a combination that is very rare in online shopping these days).

Some of my favorites are:

*DI Shipley & Halmos Waist Sache Dress
*DI Shipley & Halmos Sleeveless Dress
*EFC Hooded S/S T Tunic
*LTWT CNT Stretch Layered Dress
*Dry Stretch Full Zip Parka
*Illustrators S/S Graphic T

Now go explore the rainbow!

Turning around in circles...

...with American Apparel's Unisex Circle Scarf!

I'm sure you remember my last post about scarves and how I love them so much because of their unique ability to transform or tweak an outfit and because they're so darn affordable (See Sun 03/01 "Stick Your Neck Out")...

Well, I particularly LOVE this scarf from one of my go-to-for-basics stores. It comes in three versions: Regular Solid, Super Sheer and Tie-Dye. The type of fabric varies since American Apparel re-purposes material from around their factory (re-use and recycle people!) but it is usually some kind of lovely, stretchy, soft jersey in an amazing range of colors.

There are at least 10 ways to wear it but I'm sure your creative minds can come up with more! See the movie - pretty funky, huh?


I just bought the Super Sheer Circle Scarf in Athletic Blue, but I'm thinking about making a bunch of these myself as gifts - shhhh!

So go circle yourself in coolness!

American frock...

In earlier posts, I lauded the great things about American Apparel, particularly how basic, versatile and easily personalized their pieces are. Plus, each one comes in such fun colors!

AA's Baby Rib Pocket Frock is no exception. Available in 6 great colors (I'm partial to the royal blue m'self), this super-fun yet basic dress has 3/4 sleeves, a flattering boatneck and pockets (pockets on dresses - I just love). Wear this alone as a mini-dress or with leggings/jeans as a casual tunic. Either way, it's right at home with a belt, a scarf, a bunch of jewelry, tights, heels, flats...endless possibilities ladies!

The best part is that you can wear this NOW and through the rest of the seasons, depending on what you pair it with. Always a good thing to make multiple outfits out of one piece. We like that!

Check out American Apparel's website for lots more chic, yet uber-affordable ideas like this. You will likey, I promise...

Angel of Cool...

I first discovered Angel D'Amico when perusing Etsy.com for some interesting new finds to share with my fellow fashion junkies. Her etsy shop, AD Love, sells one-of-a-kind, hand dyed, hand screen-printed wearable works of art that are so urban-chic that you can't help but hear your own soundtrack in your head while you wear them. Plus, she prints on a lot of American Apparel basics - bonus!

D'Amico is a Chicago-based freelance illustrator and designer with a BFA in Visual Communications. She not only creates an incredibly wide range of artwork but also plays and composes music and designs/illustrates TrueStar Magazine, a magazine dedicated to keeping teens off the street with an after-school program that gives them real experience in the media field.

So, in other words, she's a pretty amazing, creative, one-woman army of cool. Find out more about her on her website.

Pssst! AD Love is having a $35 hoodie and sweatshirt sale only for January. I suggest you get your online shopping fingers tapping now...

Low on cash? No excuse for fashion!

After waxing poetic about custom clothing, designer brands and luxury labels, I realized that I would be remiss if I did not mention my old standbys. In other words, those shops that don't require you to take a second job or feel guilty about going shopping when you haven't paid your cell phone bill yet...

My favorite go-to stores for quick, cheap and trendy are, hands down, Forever 21 and American Apparel. While the dressing rooms may not be as nice, the staff may not be as helpful and you have to do a little more digging through the racks than pricier stores, their clothes give your wardrobe just enough punch to be able to keep lookin' pretty and maintain your stylish self.

Forever 21 always has its finger on the pulse of trendy, bringing the newest colors, accessories and shapes lightning-fast to the racks, all for so little dough it's almost astonishing. For example, the purple number above is a Forever 21 Pointelle Sweater Top that I forced a friend of mine to buy in a beautiful magenta and she can wear it to work and out for a martini, all for a mere $23 (plus the cost of a cosmo) [forever21.com].

Don't let American Apparel's name fool you...this is the most "Euro" store of all. Providing low-cost dudes', gals' and kids' basic clothing and accessories in millions of colors that can be combined and turned around in just as many ways, AA is a new favorite of mine. The quirky website has demo videos to show you how to turn one dress into 20 and a circle scarf into everything from a hood to a high-waist skirt. I have multiples of both the Cotton Spandex Jersey Bandeau Dress and the Cotton Spandex Jersey Strapless Ruched Bodysuit. So cute, versatile and comfortable [americanapparel.net]!

Each of these stores has its own, great website where you can buy direct if you're not close to a retail location. Plus, they each have a decidedly international feel to them - making YOU feel oh-so-with-it and NOT cheap FOR cheap. THAT'S worth a few fashion bucks, right?