August 29, 2008

Confessions of a Style Editor

Confession: Yesterday when I received a holiday look book from Talbots,  I didn't even bother to pull the red, spiral-bound book of images from its fed-ex envelope. I just tossed the whole thing straight into the trash.

Now, this may seem like a very biased, un-journalistic approach, but this is Talbots I'm talking about. You know, gold-buttoned boiled-woil cardigan sweaters; pleated plaid trousers; short-sleeved tea-length dresses (make it stop!); and loafers—with the penny.  All of these are just dandy for my granny, but not exactly stuff for the style pages.

However, something (my conscience? a psychic flash?) made me yank the thing out of the trash. What I... Read more »

Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 25, 2008

Minnesota, Political Style

Last week I was celebrating the opening of Il Vostro Boutique in St. Paul, just in time for the RNC. Convention visitors are going to swoon—if they didn't know the Twin Cities were such an exciting retail destination, well that's about to change. This week I'm loving the creativity of a couple of our local designers, who have come up with such clever, witty politically-themed merchandise. They are definitely having fun with what can often be a serious subject matter. Read more »

Posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 15, 2008

RNC: Bringing Style to St. Paul

The Republicans are coming! Il Vostro Boutique is opening! On Monday, Stacey Finnegan opens a second location of her boho-chic women's clothing store in downtown St. Paul. Yes, it's an ideal location for the convention. But after the motorcades leave and the hotels empty—Il Vostro will remain, the only women's boutique downtown. Read more »

Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 4, 2008

Raze the Roof

In May, Regis Corporation launched PureBeauty, a pretty, girly retail and salon concept with locations at Mall of America and Eden Prairie Center. On Friday, Regis unveils it's latest boutique salon. This time, it's a guy thing. Raze is a collaboration between a group of Twin Cities men who wanted a more manly salon experience. The result is a clubby, den-like setting filled with relaxation-inducing accoutrements: leather recliners, large-screen televisions, wireless Internet access, a computer station, and a beverage bar. In addition to standard hair and grooming services, Raze offers $5 hot towel treatments and complimentary shoe shines. For home maintenance, the salon carries a selection of luxe products and accessories from... Read more »

Posted on Monday, August 4, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 28, 2008

The W + Denny Kemp = Love

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know that the W Hotel is opening next month (Aug. 13, to be exact) in the Foshay. What you may not realize is how hip it's going to be. I know, I konw—first it was the Graves 601, then the Chambers, the Westin, the Ivy, and soon Hotel Minneapolis. These have notable perks, like gourmet dining, rockstar suites, spa clubs, special mattresses, and fresh-baked chocolate cookies. In this girl's opinion, however, the W will have the perk of perks . . Read more »

Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 25, 2008

Favorite Things for Summer!

As if her annual Favorite Things show weren't enough (how many audience members can they find that will cry and writhe with joy on national television?), Oprah recently gave into her producers' pleas and did a Favorite Things for Summer show. Even I went a little wild, after a season of watching reruns.

Since the Weber Genesis grill was a bit out of scope for me, I settled for trying the BEST TURKEY BURGER EVER!!!!!!! (this is me, trying to imitate Ohps on a blog). The recipe comes from the chef at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. I actually prefer turkey to beef when it comes to burgers (unless it's one of Read more »

Posted on Friday, July 25, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 14, 2008

Vintage Glam

These days, it's often hard to distinguish vintage clothing and accessories from new merchandise. More and more, people want to wear unique, statement-making pieces—not mass-produced merchandise that's been cloned by every big box retailer. Designers have responded by ressurecting patterns and silhouettes from the past. For example, it used to be that I would shop antique stores or dig through my grandmother's giveway jewelry box for an interesting necklace. Now, I can wear a double strand of clear, faceted crystals from Target and, without fail, someone will ask me if it's vintage.

Still, there's something special about finding a truly great, finely-crafted vintage piece. It has a story, and for all practical purposes, it's one-of-a-kind. The accessories aficionados at... Read more »

Posted on Monday, July 14, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 7, 2008

Growing Pains

A friend once told me not to get bangs because they're such a pain to grow out. I did it anyway, ala Reese Witherspoon, and afterward thought: Why would I ever want to grow these out?!? They gave my long, straight locks a "style," and emphasized my brown eyes instead of my high forehead. wo years after later and lo—I am trying to grow them out. Read more »

Posted on Monday, July 7, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 30, 2008

Made in Minnesota

On Friday I had the pleasure of sharing three interesting and ingenious products with Twin Cities Live viewers. The best part? They're all made in Minnesota. Watch the segment here, then support these local entrepreneurs by purchasing their creations at the following local retailers: Read more »

Posted on Monday, June 30, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 26, 2008

Now that's what I call a sale!

For me to be blogging about a sale, you must know that I am not messing around. I take sales very seriously. Don't give me a coupon if it's loaded with exclusions (ahem, Macy's), and don't try to lure me in with 20 percent off of your worst-selling items. I'd rather pay full price for something I really, really want, then spend hours hunting and pecking through loads of stuff, hoping to find a single gem. The sale I present you with today is not so much a sale as it is a mother lode. Read more »

Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2008 in Style File | Permalink | Comments (0)