Street Style: Long Cardigans

Posted by Anne, Aug 19 2008, 11:23 AM in Shopping + Trends

The long cardigan is the perfect piece to seamlessly transition your Summer looks into Fall. The much beloved "grandpa sweater" has always been an essential closet staple, but these three chic girls are really rockin' it the right way.

(L-R)
Look 1: We love how Danielle paired the long sweater with short jean shorts--the play on the lengths is great and makes for the perfect laid-back summer look. Tip: the sweater is from H & M!

Look 2: In the second photo, Catherine pulled together an incredibly chic ensemble pairing the long cardigan with a flow-y, printed dress. By belting the sweater she really pulls the outfit together making it feel more like a polished look and ready for the Fall season.

Look 3: Finally, we love the cozy look that Courtney has going on -- the cocoa colored sweater looks great against her dark denim jeans and works well with her printed top. We l-o-v-e how long the sleeves are on her sweater! We think she looks effortlessly stylish -- and comfortable -- which is key! This Fall look makes us want trade in our flip-flops for boots ASAP.

Did You Know: You Can Pull Items From Closet Couture's Basics Closet?

Posted by Justin, Aug 18 2008, 12:08 PM in Announcements

You can pull items from Closet Couture's Basics Closet to start building your own closet!

To get started, go to the Closet Couture Basics Closet, located in the Members section of the site. Click through the Basics Closet and find essential items like black cardigans, white t-shirts, and jeans to help build and supplement your own closet.

**Another trick to building your closet is to pull similar items from other member’s closets into your own closet. To do this, check out your friends' profiles, click on "Look In My Closet," and check out their wardrobe!

Ten Things I Love: Chris Elia

Posted by Anne, Aug 18 2008, 05:59 AM in Shopping + Trends

Monday morning, huh? We know, we feel the same way. That is why we are going to feature "10 Things I Love" interview on Mondays, to get your week started in the right direction. The Closet Couture team will gush about what we love first, so that you get to know us a little bit better, then we will feature stylists, retailers, and members!

10 Things I Love: Chris Elia


Favorite Designer(s)?

I love Michael Bastian’s aesthetic—prep with a personal twist. Dries van Noten makes the most amazing scarves, ties, and interesting updates on seemingly basic items. I also love Bottega Veneta for its timeless appeal—Thomas Maier’s creations look great now, but they will also be relevant in ten years.


Favorite Jeans?

I love APC’s denim—it comes completely unwashed, totally rigid. It softens and forms to the shape of your legs as you own them. I live in their New Standard cut. Also, Seven for All Mankind’s Ginger jean…dark washed, bootleg cut. Works for me!


Day Uniform?

Rolled Pants, J. Crew Button Down Shirt, Lanvin patent blue marine flats, Blinde baby bagel sunglasses, Closet Couture Tote Bag


Night Uniform?

Crisp White Shirt, Dark Denim Jeans, Denis Columbe scarf, and gold bangles


Favorite Fragrance?

I like to mix---usually Santa Maria Novella Melograno and R & G Vetiver. I also love Aqua di Parma… can you tell I am also an Italian citizen??


Favorite Artist(s)?

Louise Bourgois, Lee Krasner and Lucian Freud, for his whippet paintings


Favorite Shopping Site?

I love ShopJake.com. It’s the online component of the store Jake, located in Chicago. They’ve always got such a great selection of new designers and things I’ve never seen before---for both men and women. Plus, it is named after Jake Ryan from 16 Candles…the hottest guy ever.


Favorite Vacation Spot/Hotel?

Dutton Hot Springs, Dutton, CO. An former ghost / mining town that was bought and re-done several years ago. Individual cabins in the beautiful Colorado mountains with plenty of hot springs all over the property. Bliss.


Favorite Annual Event/Celebration?

There’s a little town in Massachusetts, about forty-five minutes north of Boston, called Hamilton, home to Myopia Hunt Club. My favorite thing to do when visiting the in-laws in August is to head over for Sunday afternoon horse shows, club polo and of course, tailgating.


Favorite thing about Closet Couture?

I love the sharing of closets function! It’s so cool that you can go into one of your friend’s closets, and create looks for them.

Spotted: Lindsay Price At The Wilco Concert

Posted by Anne, Aug 15 2008, 09:07 AM in Shopping + Trends

Our favorite actress from NBC's Lipstick Jungle, Lindsay Price was spotted hanging out at McCarren Pool this week. Taking in the Wilco concert with a crowd of Brooklyn hipsters, Lindsay blended in perfectly, sporting a cute mini skirt and Frye boots. We loved how she wore an edgy look but still looked refined by pairing it with a plaid shirt and a vintage Louis Vutton bag. Looking forward to seeing Lindsay, Brooke, et. al. pounding the pavement come the Fall Season.

Gold, Silver, Bronze, Oh My!

Posted by Anne, Aug 14 2008, 10:42 AM in Shopping + Trends

Michael Phelps can’t have all the accessories for summer, despite his now well-adorned neck. We are still loving gold, and frankly, we’ll happily settle for silver and bronze too.

Metallics are a great way to dress up an outfit, and often act as neutrals -- they are easy to wear with any color. Our favorite combinations are pairing gold with whites, navy, chocolate and platinum or silver with black, gray and purple – but of course, you can mix and match almost any combination.

Given how bored we are by now with our summer getups, precious metal accessories seem like the perfect solution to get through the dog days – plus, they go seamlessly into Fall. Check out these shining starts and get shopping! *you can add these items to your wishlist by going to the respective closets and pulling the items into your closet!

• Antonio Paldino silver cuff bracelet (Closet Courtue Seasonal Closet)
• Alexander Ingelmo gold flats (Il Primo Passo’s Closet)
• R&Y Augousti bronze Python Miniaudiere (find on Vivre.com)

A Note From Chris....

Posted by Chris, Aug 13 2008, 10:38 AM in Announcements

Welcome to the official Closet Couture blog!

For our first post, I thought I would tell you a little about how I use the site…. Then, we will be posting on all things fashion – what people are wearing, trends we are seeing and how to wear them, closet makeovers and more. So check back often, we will be updating the blog frequently!

We have been working round the clock for the past few months to build the Closet Couture site and community. Today is the first day we have new users on the site, and permit me to give a little overview of what you can do here.

When I want to browse what I have without opening my closet (which, to be honest, is a bit of a mess), I take a spin through the My Closet section on the site. I am always amazed at how many new combinations of outfits Justin, our in-house style maven, can find for me out of my same old stuff…. Having a fresh, stylish eye going through one’s things breathes a whole new life
into them! It's like going shopping without having to buy anything.

Over the past few months, while using the site internally as we build it, I have been keeping track of what I have worn in front of different people by using the calendar to plan and archive my looks. As a result, I have finally worn a new outfit in front of a person who was tortured by my wearing the same thing in front of him 3 times! I am happy to report, the new outfit that Justin, picked out for me was a complete success.

I travel pretty frequently between LA (where I live), New York (where much of the Closet Couture team is located), San Francisco (where our tech staff and lawyers are) and Denver (where I teach once a month or so at our partner, the Starkey International Institute of Household Management – friend them, they have the most amazing tips!). I have been relying on the packing lists in Closet Couture to keep my suitcases loaded with city-appropriate gear – that means trench coats and scarves for SF and summer dresses for NY and Denver.

Since buying clothes is pretty fun, I check out the clothes our retailers have for sale in their closets – the beauty is that I can try on their pieces with my existing ones without having to physically bring something to the store. I have seriously cut down on the number of “mistakes” I have purchased since Closet Couture’s arrival because I can see how everything looks together. Plus, my sales girls can make recommendations for pieces that compliment what I already have – they know my style because I have kept my closet open for them to see and share.

And then, the part that has truly changed my life…. The stylists. Oh, the stylists. Whether I am panicking at the last minute or dreading an event later in the month, by hiring a stylist on Closet Couture I am able to alleviate the problem – it just goes away! Because our stylists can see what I have in my closet, what I have worn in my albums or calendar, each of them knows what would look good on me and be perfect for the occasion. When I am put together by someone with great taste, I feel invincible.

My dream has come true with Closet Couture – now when I exclaim, I wish I could have someone do all this for me…. I can!

Welcome to Closet Couture, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

In Allegiance to Style,

Chris

Founder