7/14/09

Facade does NYC

hi NYC girls and Facade blog readers alike,
we're excited to announce that we'll be in Brooklyn this weekend for a trunk show alongside Mary Meyer Clothing, Round Designs Jewelry, and Costalots Sunglasses. come enjoy music, food, and fashion from noon-6 on Saturday, July 18th. we like to say that we have New York styles for California prices. bring friends and come hang out!

here's the info (click the image to enlarge):


hope to see you there. facade is the future...

xxo
val

p.s. cash or paypal only please!

7/5/09

The report on Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague street style

Hi facade blog readers! i'm sitting in an internet cafe in Prague, drinking a Redbull (a must in Eastern Europe), thinking back on the fashions ive observed on the last 3 stops on our Eurotrip... Amsterdam, Berlin and now Prague.

i will not hesitate to say that Amsterdam style was nothing to write home about. while girls dressed funkier than they did in london, most outfits looked cheapier. a TON of girls sported harem-style pants (not surprising) but a large majority of them were batik or paisley print and worn with unflattering tops. i also saw an offensively large number of UGGs, which were normally paired with sundresses. unacceptable.

on the plus side, though, Amsterdam style was much more colorful than London style, as people werent afraid to mix prints and wear eye-grabbing shades. i liked that.

now.... Berlin. i was super impressed with Berlin street style. the city itself is busting at the seams with art and creativity, and that is even apparent when one walks down the street. all that was confounded by the fact that we were in Germany during Berlin Fashion Week, which lasted from July 1-July 5. i got to go inside one of the tents, but pictures unfortunately weren't allowed. we also went to an Evian-sponsored fashion week party at the penthouse of a nightclub. more on that later.

the first thing i noticed was that Berliners definitely like to experiment with volume. while im used to wearing loose tops with skinny jeans and flats, Berlin goers tended to pair cascading shirts with flowy skirts. it looked pretty fresh and whimsical. i also saw lots of volumetric short dresses paired with skyscraper heels and large Marni-style necklaces.

i mentally compiled a list of trends i loved particularly in Berlin:

-kicks. i saw so many girls wearing metallic and neon nike dunks with short dresses and skirts. i liked how that emphasized a cool vibe instead of a sexy one.
-harem-style jeans. there were several girls wearing baggy jeans reminiscent of harem pants. i found they looked best with interesting strappy sandals, maybe with some tasteful hardware. i also thought this style of pant looked best with slightly cropped, oversized tops and minimal jewelry.
-yellow. some of the best outfits i saw used tasteful yellow accents to catch your eye. the best example was a woman who was wearing a nautical navy and cream striped top with baggy denim jeans and yellow gladiator-esque sandals. all the less striking colors she was wearing really complimented the one burst of color she chose.

keep checking back, because i met a Polish designer in Berlin who founded Green Establishment, an incredible fashion label, and we'll be featuring her soonn (if you want to check out their website now, its: www.gestablishment.com). i also have pictures of the very best outfits ive stumbled across over here, and will be sharing them once i make the shift from using communal computers. they kinda make me nervous.

facade is the future...

xxo
val

6/25/09

Greetings from London

hi guys,

lizzy and i have been saving up for a trip to Europe with our 4 other best friends all year long, and we're finally here. it's 3:35 AM in London (where we are), we just got home from a night of dancing, leave for amsterdam in an hour and couldn't be happier. my favorite part of travelling is no doubt observing the local street style, and London is one of the best places to do that. id say the common thread between Londoners and their relationships to fashion is that the average person here at least attempts high fashion. not all efforts are successful, but on the whole, people obviously put more time, energy and money into their appearances.

if the word to describe Berkeley fashion is "wacky", the word for London is "chic." it's rare to see girls exposing much skin, and if they do, it's super classy (lots of open back tops, etc). there's also a LOT of all-black outfits. i'd forgotten how great it looks to wear skinny jeans with simple flats, a big sweater and a cool leather bag, all in dark shades.

now, i wouldn't be a respectable reporter of London fashion if i didn't mention Topshop. i've been to London before and to Topshop several times, but i sure had forgotten what i was missing... i knew to expect some great stuff, but not the absolute insanity i experienced. we spent a good 2 hours in there running around, slinging awesome piece after insane piece across our arms. i literally sat down on the floor amidst all the cut throat shoppers to sort out everything i'd nabbed. as my friend Maddie put the situation, "Topshop is like Forever21, except everything is high fashion instead of cheap looking, and fits well instead of like crap." i got a pair of bleached jeans with ankle zips (can't find them on their website). they were only £35, which is a little less than $70. i also got the jacket posted below (taken from Moodboard). if you're in London, i seriously recommend allotting a day (or two... or five) to spend in there. it's seriously unreal.


we also went to spitalfields market today, which is a marketplace of up-and-coming designers, mostly of accessories. it was really fun, and i'll post pictures of my purchases as soon as i have computer access again. i've also been taking pictures of the best outfits i've seen walking around here, and will post asap.

facade is the future....

xxo,
val

6/19/09

eBay!

Introducing: tons of cute eBay stuff and our new model Jay! Amy spotted Jay on the street and knew right away she would be an awesome addition to Facade. Here she is modeling our latest spring/summer 09 pieces.

this LBD is Armani. i don't think anyone could go wrong with it!




Amy found this bodycon dress one day when Lizzy and I were shopping with her. we all loved it.

this Betsey Johnson dress is just awesome...









Hannah, the gorgeous model below, has been with Facade for a little longer:




if you're lusting over something here, don't miss out on our auctions! we'll be posting some stuff again next week. hope you all are having a great start to your summers.

facade is the future...

love you madly,
val

6/1/09

New items up on eBay

It's that time again... new eBay listings. check us out.

I'll start with my favorite 2 pieces from this round of stuff:


this bodycon dress is insane. i think it would look good with simple accessories as its pictured above, but it could also be the base for a more complex outfit with a pair of hot colored pumps, a bunch of bracelets and a cool coat or something.

90's grunge is irresistable to me. this dress has a self-tie in the back, which i think is a cute detail.


both this ruffled top and the crazy shorts are for sale right now. i'm in love with the shorts... my eyes went straight to them when we first got them in.




i like how streamlined this blazer looks, especially paired with a more eye-catching print, like it's styled above.


i hope you like what you see! visit us on eBay and keep checking back to see what sick stuff we get in for summer.


Facade is the future...

Love you madly,

Val

5/24/09

Mixed Metals

I think the first official fashion rule that was thrust my way was on the bus home from school in 6th grade. "Never wear gold and silver jewelry together again... it's an eyesore," said an older girl, who was eyeing my gold stud earrings and silver pendant necklace.

Granted, I probably looked like a 12-year-old mess. Recently, though, I've been really into wearing mixed metals. Perhaps it's a result of my 12-year-old ego screaming in my head to rebel, but regardless, it can look pretty sick (if worn the right way.) Pewter, silver, brass, gold... you just have to jumble them with intention.

I've been bookmarking some of my favorite mixed metal jewelry pieces and wanted to share them:





If you don't want to invest in a new piece, you can always mix and match jewelry from your own collection. I'm currently wearing a gold chain bracelet given to me by my grandma with a thick silver bangle - it's really easy to make your own look.

Facade is the future...

Love you madly,
Val

5/22/09

It's not magic, but it sure is an illusion...

I remember scuffling through Neiman Marcus as a 6-year-old, shopping with my mom for a dress for her to wear for a black-tie benefit. She settled on a short, skin-tight, black dress with illusion cutouts. I always dreamed of borrowing the dress for a night out, and it finally fits me... just in time for the revival of the mesh 90's illusion trend. At Facade, we find this trend irresistible. Every batch of clothing we get in includes at least one bodycon illusion dress. Bottomline: it's sexy.

We've pulled a few looks from the runway (Alexander Wang is obviously a favorite) and the Facade closet to give you a little inspiration --

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang

Bottega Veneta

But don't leave it to the runway...


Do I need to explain further?

Facade is the future...

Love you madly,

Val