Hello, warp zone! January, didn’t know you had it in you, but it’s true, we’re resolute — a LOT has happened since the dawn of 2012.
Woke up VERY early on the 1st to hop a ride over to Laguna Beach … once there, was taken into the loving embrace of Geo and Katresha at Blue Pearl Laguna who went ahead and changed our life.
Seven days filled with 10-mile hikes, twice-daily yoga, personal training, veggies and fruits and nuts and sheep’s milk, kefir and yogurt, lemons and alkaline water … Not sure if we’re fun anymore.
But of course we had a mobile Haute Closet with us, entirely composed of the choicest Nike gear … and a Camelbak. Glamorous.
Point is, we turned off our phone and got in tune with our glutes. We’ve been renewed.
Here’s the fresh list (click to play on Spotify or download to iTunes):
On My Plate took a look at what happens in The Haute Closet, here’s the infographic:
Full interview with both AF of THC and Dose Market and fellow Dosette, Emily Fiffer: here.
Thanks for playing, Melissa! Really appreciate your work and your being in Chi-town — onmyplate is fantastic. Love, especially, that the inimitable Nena Ivon brought us together!
In something of a frenzy, the latest THCIYH came together in minutes last Tuesday.
Can’t believe it’s already the end of October. Here’s the disc — play it loud:
Note: It was suggested we remove Bernadette from this THCIYH — took it under advisement — but the song stays, that pitch-perfect break & hit at 2:39 just doesn’t stop.
There’s been a lot going on since Lolla, and we’ve been playing it all by ear, more or less.
On this volume of The Haute Closet In Your Head, number fifteen, we’ve got our regular mix of classic rock and lesser-known acts, many of whom we got to shoot around with on the playground that was Lolla’s 20th anniversary (The Kills, Grouplove, Lykke Li, The Cars, Gold Motel and Mayer Hawthorne). Here’s the playlist:
and a few of our pics from the acts that make this disc worthy of play on repeat:
Alison Mosshart, incredible as always, played a fantastic set …
Loved the beater under her other half’s beautifully tailored jacket: Jamie Hince.
We had almost too much fun with Grouplove, a most incredibly easy-going group and our absolute favorite playmates at the fest.
Next, having reached out and failed to confirm a meet with Mayer Hawthorne prior to the fest (we were denied, no other way to play it) we saw a handsome, stylish young man — loved the hoodie/blazer hybrid — and asked for a photo. Mid-shoot, we asked his name and were so floored, put the camera down and emphatically (embarassingly?) declared our love. He was pleased, apparently, and treated us to a super-kooky mini-shoot with some practicing yogis in the distance.
Ham-and-a-half with some serious Detroit cred — his swoon-worthy track is a can’t miss.
Gold Motel is a Chi-town band and we love having their tune on this disc.
Lykke Li came out, channeling the energy and that dark Stockholm style …
this woman believes in her tunes and played a very soulful set.
Lolla is definitely our favorite weekend in the Chi and this is the disc that has been keeping us on the up-and-up post-LA, post-break-up and all the way to Paris for SS12. Get it on at .
We’ll be getting our Nike on and styling their super fresh gear at the Grand Opening of Lady Foot Locker on State St from 11AM-2PM this coming Thursday, September 22nd.
Then we’ll be switching out of our running gear and marathon-readying mode into an all-red ensemble for trend presenting at the Armani Exchange opening that’ll be happening from 6-8PM the same day. Hosted by People StyleWatch, THC and the creative team at Armani Exchange, rsvp to rsvp@armaniexchange.com.
Come on out and see us and score a free gift at Nike and $20 off every $100 at Armani Exchange, not to mention the free personal shopping!
Join me Thursday, September 8th from 5-8PM at Vince on Oak for some bubbly and dedicated personal shopping from THC.
It’s FNO – the most fun you can have when it comes to retail. For the past two years, Anna Wintour has been stoking the flames of this fantastic party in NYC and Chicago is finally on board with more than one awesome Fashion’s Night Out event.
But! This one at Vince is the BEST and a can’t miss …
If you don’t already know, Vince is hands-down the best place in Chicagoland to pick up the staples that will make your wardrobe sing, season after season. From their leather and fur to their very best t-shirts, the cuts are divine and my associates who work in the store are even finer. And bring your boyfriend/hubby/lover — Vince stocks the best for gents, too!
I’ll be on hand to help you make decisions about the best pieces to add to your own wardrobe for Fall/Winter.
See you then!
XX April
And … the rest of the best FNO events coming to you in Chicago on September 8th:
Yes, Mr. Brad Goreski himself. We’ll be heading over there for a little post-Vince hosting at the 900 shops.
And, of course, we recommend this Brian Atwood event at Saks — we’re big fans of this homegrown shoe tsar.
On photo shoots, it’s common parlance to say, “own it.” One particularly enterprising photographer mistook this directive for “bone it.” Thus, a star was born.
This disc debuted at the July 10th Dose Market and here it is for some rest-of-the-summer enjoyment!
Have been getting Dosed and loving every second – check it out here. The third installment, Dose Tres, is this Sunday, August 14th, from 10am-4pm at the River East Art Center.
In other happy news, I’ve been asked to contribute more regularly to refinery29 and my first post happened July 27. It was an ode to a fantastic shirtdress specimen from The Row.
The fabric is KILLER lux. You can see how I styled three of my girls — Swathi, Christina and Hilary, at right — in the piece over at refinery29.com.
I kept it and wore it the other day with a simple braided leather belt and a fab pair of SS2011 ankle bracelet Isabel Marant heels. And more of those Etoile bracelets on my wrist. I’m sure I’ll pull this Row piece out at least once a month for the rest of the year and then again in Spring, of course. I simply adore pieces like this — blank canvases made to hang with any accessory in your closet. I go into more styling detail, how-tos and ideas in the refinery post. I snagged this particular dress from chalk but you can also shop The Row direct. But it’s definitely better to go to chalk.
Why? Right now, chief among my endless list of reasons is that they have a full selection of (well, I snagged an AMAZING little gold one) Jerome Dreyfuss bags … and he’s married to Isabel. The bags come with little attached mirrors AND flashlights (I feel guilty I didn’t get one for my mom). Those two must be the coolest couple in Paris. Happily, I’ll be there myself in September and October with C/FAN. Christina is taking me and her line to (capsule) to sell it to the world and we plan on hanging out with jacquemus and the chalk ladies.
X
PS: Are those perforated buck Nike’s AWESOME or what?!
We first learned about the brand from Bret Easton Ellis in his gnarly 90s work, American Psycho. Bret is a keen observer of trends in fashion, music and culture and if you haven’t seen the film or read the book we recommend it … although both, especially the book, can be pretty grisly. If we never have to see a Habitrail ever again, cool.
Back to the brand. Not only does Oliver Peoples make super cool stuff that we love (see us wearing a special pair here), the uber-cool Paul Smith Spectacles and Mosley Tribes lines also fall under their umbrella. The new Chicago boutique will feature all three and an Oliver Peoples style exclusive to Chicago plus full-service optical care.
Headquartered in West Hollywood, CA, the line was co-founded in 1986 by eyewear visionary and designer Larry Leight. To like Oliver Peoples, as so many do, is to love Larry. Herewith, a few questions for the man about the brand:
The Haute Closet: As both are outsize icons with dramatic hair, what frame would you put on Dita Von Teese? On Gwen Stefani?
Larry Leight: For Gwen, I would style her in the DaddyB frame.
She usually likes frames that are a little bigger and more of a shield like. This style, in the black color, has a bit of a rock star image to me without being over the top and cheesy – it’s a bit more discreet.
For Dita I would go with our new Blondell style.
It’s a retro and ultra feminine design which will protect that gorgeous porcelain skin without compromising style.
THC: What is your favorite women’s style in your archive?
LL: I really liked the Harlot.
It’s an older style now but it was one of the first explosive frames when oversized sunglasses turned the corner again around 2004/2005. It got so much attention from fashion magazines, tastemakers, etc. and I was really proud of it. The new version of that oversized look is from our current season called Blondell. Its utilizes titanium so it is super light on the face and looks so glamorous.
THC: What effect did Bret Easton Ellis have on Oliver Peoples?
LL: American Psycho was huge for our company. The book mentions Oliver Peoples by name and Christian Bale wears the O’Malley style in the movie. Oliver Peoples defined the category of intellectual eyewear and the movie illustrated this look in such a visual, real way. The book talks about the established uniform of Wall Street bankers: Hermes tie, Gucci Loafers, and Oliver Peoples glasses…It really drew attention to our brand on a global level and today, the O’Malley, which can be both an optical frame and a sunglass, remains one of the most recognizable and sought after frames in the company’s history.
THC : Do you consider celebrity the most effective marketing tool for luxury apparel and accessories? If not, what is?
LL: Not at all, especially for our brand. We don’t have logos so celebrities wearing our brand does very little for us unless you are already “in the know”…. Of course, we consider it to be a great compliment when celebrities are seen in our frames because it’s likely that any brand in the world is accessible to them and they choose to wear ours. I know too that many celebrities use stylists who have great taste and comb through are the product in the market to find only the best for their client.
I can only speak for us when I say that the most effective marketing has been word of mouth among the essential Oliver Peoples customer – progressive individuals with good style who are influencers and tastemakers. These people have helped build our brand globally with the people who we want in our frames. We also produce short films and in-house music compilation CDs which help clearly define our brand image and lifestyle to the consumer. They bring life to the collection of eyewear and have always had a really positive response.
THC: What is the fuel for the brand, inspiration-wise?
LL: The continued support of our loyal customers. Everyone has an “Oliver Peoples” story and hearing them keeps me going.
Larry, we’re glad to help spread the word. Thanks for playing!
We loved the 2010 campaign that married the awesome Shirley Manson with the supergeek, Elijah Wood. For a little taste of the lifestyle that is Oliver Peoples, watch below:
UPDATE: Dose Market Dates for 2011 include June 5, July 10, August 14, September 25, October 16, November 6 and December 4.
We’ve been uber busy this Spring styling with tons of fresh SS11 designs – HELLO! hopelessly addicted to Isabel Marant – lots of wardrobing with lovely clients both old and new and the absolute labor of love that is – bah ba da bah – Dose Market!
Wait, you haven’t already heard? We’ve been covered by Time Out,DailyCandy, refinery29, Chicago Mag, NBC, and tons of other great pubs. Here’s what’s going down this Sunday at the DEBUT of this new, once-a-month high/low luxury lifestyle market:
The Dosettes are bringing together the best of the best for your shopping, slurping & socializing pleasure at Dose Market, with the first Market kicking off this Sunday, June 5 at the River East Art Center, 435 E. Illinois St., from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Once inside, get Dosed with:
- X-Marx’s boiled dumplings, cold Sichuan noodles, Macao rice crisps and a special Sichuan-spiced version of their addictive Mama’s Nuts nut brittle
- The debut of C/FAN accessories in her blue Caddo Lake-printed chiffon
- The launch of Salted Caramel’s new line of frozen sweets, including Thai mango-curry-yogurt pops, chocolate-molé pudding pops and more
- Suitor’s launch of color-popped stationery, unprecedented in the line’s strictly black-and-white history
- The premier of Jo Snow’s snow cones and Jo Snow lattes with Crop to Cup coffee
- The launch of Truffle Truffle’s new I Heart Chicago collection, a collaboration with chocolatier Nicole Greene, Metropolis coffee, The Spice House & Half Acre
- Special selections from Sofia vintage + Artfully Disheveled + Apartment No 9 for the dapper gentlemen
- The launch of Shades of Grey’s vintage chain-adorned vintage purses
- Lisa Spagnolo‘s perfect striped Market Tote (enter to win!)
Eat well, shop cool, be happy. Buy discounted tickets online or for $10 at the door! And get 2 hour parking in the underground Parkview Garage (entry on Illinois) for $6 with a Dose Market validation (ask at check in!)
See you there, THC-ers!
X – April
The Dosettes from L-R: Heather Sperling, Jessica Herman, Emily Fiffer, April Francis.
One of our most recent THC clients is a well-known, super talented interior designer. We love her and her bold style.
So, we’ve taken notice of the interiors-cum-fashion designers recently noted in both Vogue and W: Kelly Wearstler and Mary Katrantzou.We think their turns are brilliant – both love massive prints and bold colors, infusing their clothing with some power-packed energy and verve. However, you can’t get Kelly’s goodies until August. Mary’s pieces are currently at thecorner and net-a-porter, among others. They’re not cheap, but for the originality and assured quality, the prices on these pieces aren’t that tough to take.
And when we preach the wardrobe ethos of building solid foundations with garments from the likes of The Row, Vince and Alexander Wang in their muted palettes and lux fabrics, it’s nice to get some wattage with bold pieces that stand out when you want to.
So, check out these photos below: bold, brilliant and beautiful.
All above from Kelly Wearstler Fall11 via style.com. So wearable. We’re in love with all of the KW garments here, especially the boots. We’ll keep our lips sealed about the shoes.
We love successful female entrepreneurs with their hands in more than a few places. Work it.
