All Over Albany

Liberty for Target is here

Patterns, patterns, patterns.

The first time I heard the iconic British clothing brand Liberty was pairing up with Target for their GO International designers partnership, I was gleeful. Teeny-weeny floral designs (the kind Liberty is famous for) just for spring! And not just dresses, but men's shirts and ties, teapots, pillows, stationary... all kinds of stuff!

At the back of my mind was the tiniest bit of trepidation -- these collections have been disappointing in recent collaborations, but how could florals go wrong?

Thankfully, we have access to several Targets that carry the collections. I checked out the Albany and Latham locations. Here's what I found...

(there's more)

Shopping all over: stripes

Stripes for spring.

Stripes get a bad rap. Makeover shows tend to harp on their unflattering aspects, citing them as the culprits that widen the figure, but a lot of that has less to do with pattern and more to do with fit.

When I think about iconic, classic clothing items, the striped shirt ranks high on the list.
The most classic version might be Coco Chanel's Saint James striped shirts, borrowed from fishermen

Just in time for spring, stripes are popping up in affordable versions all over stores. The trend toward the stripe seems to be mostly for women right now. They're definitely a spring staple to toss on with those hopeful floral pieces, and there's no shortage of them at stores in our area (in a range of prices for those of us saving our pennies).

I went on the hunt for stripes in the Capital Region, recently. Here's what I found.

(there's more)

Where to find suit tailoring?

Dan emailed today:

I saw the post on custom dress shirts on AOA, but what about suit tailoring?

Right now I'm looking at getting a suit from Indochino, but wanted to get measured and have a place to bring it to get some things tweaked, if necessary.

Last year I had a suit taken in at Hong Kong Tailors on Central, and they weren't too helpful about getting measurements done for an Indochino suit. They also weren't forthcoming on their prices for custom suits. The Indochino suits seem to be good quality, and reimburse for the cost of tailoring up to $75 (their perfect fit guarantee)

Well, we sort of understand why a local shop wouldn't be too interested in taking measurements for a custom suit shipped in from China. But maybe the measurement and alterations are better than no business at all.

So, anyone have suggestions for Dan? We'll widen this question a bit to also include local options for custom suits.

Here's one possibility: Vince Rua, the founder of the former Christoper's menswear store, has his own custom tailoring business now. Custom suits start at $695.

Also: after the custom shirt post, Wanda suggested tailoring from Amore on State in Albany and llcwine suggested Simon's Men's Wear on State St in Schenectady.

photo: Flickr user d3b...*

Finding the fashion: The Oxford files

Classic + fun

For the past couple of seasons, oxfords in various incarnations have been popping up on fashion blogs, on runways and going for extraordinarily high bids on ebay. Thankfully, it seems that local shoe retailers are finally offering these funny little sartorial legends.

I've been hankering after a pair for a while (shopping vintage doesn't seem to be helping me in this case) and since I have problems finding shoes that work for my poor feet, I've gone back to wandering the mall stores in hopes of finding some. I'd prefer a flat pair. The ones with heels are kind of cute too, but I've found lace-up heels to be pretty uncomfortable.

Oh, and today's budget is 100$--preferably less.

So here's what I found:

(there's more)

Shopping vintage in the Capital Region

There's good stuff out there -- you just have to know where to look.

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm a vintage junkie.

I love old things, curious objects, and of course vintage clothing. Thankfully, we live in quite a good area for shopping vintage. I love perusing the racks and occasionally (okay, maybe more often than that) snatching up a find for myself.

Vintage stores can be kind of tricky -- they're doing the searching for you, and so prices are not always a bargain, but if you'd rather spend on something perhaps a bit more special, it's the way to go.

After the jump you'll find a list of places to shop vintage and some info on what you'll find. This list is by no means comprehensive -- there are dozens of funny little antique and second-hand shops tucked all around the area -- but these are my favorites of the moment (not just for vintage luck, but for set-up or general charm).

(there's more)

Overcoming the mid-winter fashion blues

It's worth the effort!

I'm feeling the weight of January.

Sure, we've had a few oddly warm days, but coats and boots are still required, there's slush, and it's going to be really, really cold for a long time.

These are the days when it's hard to resist dressing down and wrapping oneself in a cocoon, or, you know, caring enough to put an outfit together. Dressing well in an upstate winter is hard, especially when the holidays are over and it's just plain cold.

So I went shopping in the Capital Region and gathered a few ideas to help get over the mid-winter fashion blues:

(there's more)

Where to get a custom tailored shirt

Do you think there's a custom shirt for that little guy hanging from the lapel?

A custom shirt doesn't just fit like a glove, it fits like skin. Better than skin even, because a custom-tailored garment hides, flatters, and accentuates.

Countless magazines, style guides, and makeover shows sing the praises of having ready-to-wear garments tailored. It can be a great help for anyone who has trouble finding sizes that flatter -- and a really fun luxury for others.

There's a history in a custom-made garment. Like couture, it's special and infused with care and detail. I don't mean to be overly romantic or wax poetic about this, but custom garments are a funny kind of imprint of an individual. Because they're special they can be passed down through generations, like jewelry.

Custom shirts are also a kind of a mark of arrival, like the first suit, first little black dress, first grown-up perfume or cologne.

There are a few places in the Capital Region where you can go for custom tailored shirts. I checked out the process at Caruso's Custom Clothier in Guilderland.

(there's more)

Buying a winter coat. Yes, in January.

Is it time for a new coat?

Yes, it seems like a lot of mall stores are already getting their spring stuff, but here in the great Northeast, it's still winter. And it will be for a long time. And frankly, I'm feeling the winter blues or whatever you call the slump that happens when you realize that yes, you do still have to wear eighty-seven layers to make the walk to your car.

It's also the time when many of us come to realize that our old winter coat just isn't cutting it in this cold.

If your winter coat isn't working out, or you're in need of a fallback, now may be the right time to pick up a new coat. It's not just that coats that were left over from holiday shoppers are marked down, it's also that coats that didn't fit or weren't quite right have been returned to stores and some of those are also marked-down. You might just find the coat you wanted months ago but that sold out in a flurry of chilly anticipation.

I went coat shopping recently to see what was left and what kind of deals are available.

Here's a look at what I found for women & men:

(there's more)

Holiday gift guide: bags at The Paper Sparrow

They're our bag, baby. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

We were Victorian Strolling through Troy last weekend when we popped into The Paper Sparrow to see what new home made goodies Kate had added to her collection.

What we saw on the wall had us digging for our wallets.

(there's more)

Holiday gift guide: Albany Etsy

A little something for everyone.

Internet shopping makes the holidays infinitely easier to battle through, allowing us to avoid the frustrating lines in the mall and the dreaded parking wars.

On the other hand, how does one shop locally while remaining in the comfort of their pjs?

As it turns out, a whole bunch of our favorite local artists, crafters and other awesome gift-makers have shops set up on Etsy!

Here are three sellers who offer items I covet myself but will sacrifice as gifts for those who deserve fantastic local gifts:

(there's more)

'E ko logic: "green" clothing from Troy

Racks full of great shirts that used to be other stuff

Old sweaters and t-shirts become one-of-a-kind high-fashion items at Ekologic in Troy.

The company's been making their green-friendly sweaters, mittens and more since before "green" was trendy and they're definitely worth checking out.

Ask Brad Pitt and Catherine Keener. They're among the celebs who have been spotted wearing 'e ko logic designs.

(there's more)

Passing Fashion: Elias' coat

Who:
Elias

Where:
Lark Street

(there's more)

Cheesecake and cupcakes

This didn't click in our heads until this morning: Lorraine Murphy, the owner of the new Bettie's Cakes in Saratoga, is the local photographer Lorraine Murphy who takes pinup photos (that's her on the right). From our interview with her earlier this year:

I just like the classic beauty of the pin-ups. They were so gorgeous and curvy. I like that the women could be curvy. The 50's were exciting -- the sexuality -- it's kind of like a tease -- not showing the whole thing. I like the hint of suggestion.

I think because it's very period -- it's not everyday -- it's more fun. It's something very different but still classy. I didn't want to do nude or boudoir photos. Retro is more fun anyway. You're going back in time. You put on wigs from the 1950's -- it's fun to go back in time to the glamor days

The new cake shop, of course, has a 1950s aesthetic.

And one of the inspirations for Murphy's pin-up photographs: Bettie Page. Yep, with an "ie."

photo: Lorraine Murphy

Corks and Caftans' Carey and Rob

Rob and Carey

"Wine lover marries fashion addict. Blog ensues."

That's Carey Wodehouse's Twitter bio. It's also the short story behind Corks and Caftans, an endearing and addictive journal-style blog written by Saratoga Springs-based newlyweds Carey Wodehouse and Rob Burden. The 20-somethings started the blog last December to document things they love: wine, fashion, Eli (their "kidun"), music and various shenanigans.

Corks and Caftans hit the big time -- in the fashion world, anyway -- a couple weeks ago when Carey was featured as a favorite blogger on ShopBop.com's blog (definitely worth a read, especially for Carey's personal style description). And with good reason. The personality Carey and Rob bring to the site is personal and refreshing -- they primarily praise instead of pan (always harder to do than it looks). And they do it with a sense of humor.

Yet even with attention in the fashion world and thousands of readers, Corks and Caftans is still virtually unknown here in Capital Region -- a tragedy that will henceforth be rectified! As a public service, I met Carey and Rob to sample some wine and find out what the two tastemakers adore about this area.

(there's more)

The search for winter boots

So many boots. So much ugliness.

Not to be a downer, but snow is coming.

Piles and piles of snow.

We're all thinking it -- tugging our winter coats out of closets and waiting for the gloves and scarves to go on sale. Then, there is the trickiest part of the winter ensemble: the winter boot.

(there's more)

Casey Dwyer's wool headbands

Fashion, meet function.

I saw these the other day and can't help but lust over them.

Glens Falls resident Casey Dwyer's wool headbands just seem like the perfect way to add a little warmth to a cold day and still look cool. They're made out of three layers of wool felt in hand-printed floral and leaf designs in a bevy of colors.

Dwyer works on her designs out of a studio in the Troy Shirt Factory , which despite it's name is actually in Glens Falls and is home to several local businesses and artisans. But she's selling her wares in boutiques and craft fairs from Brooklyn to Portland.

(there's more)

Lucia of Saratoga

If the list of things you need includes: delicate jewelry, a special dress, late-fall mittens for windy walks, a passport case (so that you can wear said dresses and jewelry to somewhere awesome), a clever postcard, or a gift for someone who is terrifically hard to shop for, I offer you Lucia in downtown Saratoga springs.

Those who remember the Saratoga shop, Mabou, can think back to the jewelry and gift selection (Lucia is owned by Lucy Strauss, the daughter of Mabou owner Mark Strauss). Lucy's shop is one of my favorite places in downtown Saratoga that doesn't involve food.

(there's more)

Passing Fashion: Nicole's vintage transition

Who?
Nicole, an employee at Albany Medical Center Foundation.

Where?
Lark Street

(there's more)

Street Style

Kim, Erin, Ashley

Sometimes it seems like the general attitude toward style in upstate New York is that there is none -- or that it's severely lacking. That the masses of would-be style mavens are toning it down or tragically bemoaning the fact that we don't have Nordstrom, Anthropologie (I cannot lie -- an Anthropologie would make me very happy), or other fantastical retail extravaganzas.

No, we don't have it easy. So we're forced to get a bit more creative with our retail options. We have to dig harder, wander into sections we wouldn't normally think twice about, decide that three sizes too big is fashionably architectural and slouchy, bargain with ourselves over the price of shipping.

But it's possible. There is plenty of style to be found in Albany.

Here's some proof.

(there's more)

Necessary Objects: Five fall items for guys

Bundle up, guys.

Yesterday we looked at the five (and a half) autumn essentials for women. But what about the guys?

Nope, we didn't leave you out, boys. Here are five essential items to get you through the season.

(there's more)

Necessary Objects: 5 (and a half) fall items

For dressing up as the temperature drops.

Everyone waits for fall. At least in this area, where the leaves are gorgeous and crispy, and where we bring visiting friends and relatives on day trips to get cider donuts and take car rides on to walk around leaf-strewn streets.

Even though we love summer dearly, the poor soggy thing it was, one has to admit the dressing for fall in Upstate is one of the most exciting and challenging (wind!) activities season-wise (just try not to think of the coming snow banks, apologies for the reminder).

While shopping for totally new pieces is one of the highlights, this year the necessary items for fall are mostly in the accessories category, perhaps to help us all stretch out budget and revamp the wardrobes we already have.

Here are this year's 5 fall essentials for women:

(there's more)

Dan Nester's thighs are decompressing

St. Rose English professor Dan Nester has a piece today at L Magazine on his week-long experiment in wearing skinny jeans:

In the 1992 comedy classic Wayne's World, Rob Lowe's character, Benjamin Kane, asks Dana Carvey's Garth Algar how he likes new set for their show. "It's like a new pair of underwear," Garth says to blank stares. "At first it's constrictive, but after a while it becomes a part of you."

You could say my skinny jeans have started to become a part of me. Not! They have loosened up, around my muffin-top waist. My ass has grown accustomed to being presented out in public. But then there's the pain.

Perhaps it's psychosomatic, but I have begun to feel a slight tingle in my inner thigh. This, I fear, could be an early symptom of Tingling Thigh Syndrome, which is not a joke, but rather a real ailment that doctors have reported can potentially be caused by the wearing of skinny jeans, the extreme pressure of which can constrict the femoral nerves that run from groin to outer thigh to knee, leading to a condition known as meralgia paresthetica, Latin for "tragically hip with your balls in a vice."

Dan has a book coming out soon. How to Be Inappriopriate hits shelves (and UPS trucks) November 1.

Earlier on AOA: Dan Nester's Watchful Analysis of New Growth

photo: Rob O'Neill / Dan Nester

Marika Charles factory sale

From a previous factory sale

Marika Charles -- the fashion knitwear label based in Schenectady (really) -- is having a factory sale this weekend. Apparently there will be some deep discounts.

The label's pieces are normally sold in fashion boutiques such as Fred Segel. Hipster fashion icon Sienna Miller has even been spotted wearing one of their cardigans.

Marika Charles, the company, is an interesting story. The company is a brother and sister team -- he's a textiles expert and she's a designer. They've developed a patented process for quickly dying fabrics with patterns created in Illustrator or Photoshop.

The factory sale is this Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.

photo: Marika Charles

Consignment shops for kids

Consignment for kids, Fifi's and Polkadots

Parents are always looking for a bargain. Especially on clothes. I mean, no sooner do you get them into a new pair of jeans or shoes then it's time to go shopping again.

Sure it's great to pass clothes and shoes back and forth between family and friends, but that's never enough. So I thought I'd check out a couple of the kids consignment shops in the area.

Umm... and the kids aren't the only ones I found things for.

(there's more)

The Closet Shop in Delmar

Cool, higher end consignment finds

The Closet Shop is a little more, uh -- upscale than the thrift stores I usually prefer to frequent.

Still, a trip there this week proved that if you're willing to pay just a little bit more, there are all kinds of good things to be found.

(there's more)