Everyone loves a good makeover ... especially me. Makeovers for some women can be a turning point in their life, giving them the opportunity to see themselves in a different light. The impact could be monumental or a teaching tool for learning what's best for your body type. Either way, they are always beneficial to the person being "made over." I mean ... there's nothing like getting all dressed up, even with no place to go because when you look good on the outside, you feel better on the inside.
I can't say that I know any woman who wouldn't want to freshen up their look, and with such a talented staff at Lavish, whomever takes home the prize is in for a real treat. The winner will be announced during Saturday's event so don't miss it! Also, with a beauty bar and trunk show by Ethan & Zoey, this event will be a great way to spend your Saturday afternoon. The trunk show will feature new, spring items that are all right on trend. Everything from an elegant strapless, printed romper perfect for day or night to flowing floral dresses, you'll be sure to find something to add to your list of "must haves" for the season. See you there!
T. Strong is a TV personality, personal stylist and fashion journalist who contributes commentary on Creative Loafings Klepto blog in addition to writing for several other national media organizations. To learn more visit www.StyleMayvin.com or follow therealtstrong on Twitter.
Even though Thursdays aren't quite Fridays, make this Thursday fun by getting your fix of music, art, makeup and clothing.
Our Place Boutique is transforming into a gallery for the evening and hosting its final art night and cocktail party of the season, with many reasons to come check it out.
First off, you'll be swept away by the bright, contemporary and cutting edge art of the featured artist Arthur Brouthers.
(Photo taken from Tumblr)
If you're wanting to spice up your look, Ann from Laura Mercier will be offering complimentary consultations and makeovers from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
And while you're sipping on your cocktail and browsing the art, you can groove to the fun music of Jason Herring. Not only will he selling and playing his music live, but also this mix was made just for this occasion.
During the night you'll also get the scoop on when the blue light "three-hour only" deep discount special will be who could resist.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Buy a piece of art and you will definitely remember this evening forever.
Our Place Boutique is located at Phillips Place, Suite 104 off of Fairview Road.
Cannon Miller
You can be sure to find great deals while also getting an education when doing it the Frock Shop way.
The Frock Shop is having its May trunk show this coming Saturday, May 21, mixin' it up at Charlotte Energy Solutions to raise eco-consciousness.
Charlotte Energy Solutions is a locally owned shop that sells energy conservation products such as eco-friendly cleaning products, solar modules, water conversion systems and electric vehicles. They also collect vegetable oil from local restaurants, then convert it and produce Bio-Diesel very cool.
From opening at 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. close, you'll need to conserve your own energy for browsing through the racks and racks of clothes and accessories. The TRUNK show will have all the must-have name-brand, designer and vintage items that you won't want to miss. Think of all the treasures that are hidden in the popular pieces selected, like Jessica Bennett, BCBG, Kate Spade shoes and dresses from the FROCK shop revival line. You never know, you might find that classic item that you can't live without.
Garment sizes vary from 0-14, while shoes depend on availability. Don't forget to make your new outfit complete with 1 size fits all accessories.
The biggest thrill is you can get these items for $50 or less.
With the help of locally owned Lady Jayne's Bakery goodies, there will be plenty for you to munch on while you get your shop on. All the food is made by scratch, like grandma makes, and uses local fruits and veggies, mm mm mmm!
You may want to bring a car with a big trunk to this sale on June 4.
Need to freshen up your look, or find some new home decor? You will be sure to find exactly what you're looking for in these gorgeous and trendy buys. Maybe you have a recent graduate who will be journeying off to college in the fall come find a gift perfect for any occasion.
Clothing, bedding, accessories, furniture, etc. from brand names like Joe's Jeans, BedHead Pajamas, Pine Cone Hill and many more of your favorite must have names are all included in the sale.
The sale starts at 9 a.m. sharp and will continue up to 4 p.m.
Credit cards are accepted, but to make your shopping trip a little quicker, pay with cash or check. There will be parking available along Charlotte Drive, Worthington Avenue, or at the First Christian Church at East Boulevard and Dilworth Road East.
Don't forget to tell your friends or they'll be jealous!
1232 East Blvd.
704-375-1888
(Photos from Cottage Chic's Facebook.)
If you're looking for a magnificent shoe like no other, I'm pretty sure Elle VJ Boutique is going to be the place you'll find it. During Charlotte Style Week, I spotted LaVonndra Johnson, owner of Elle VJ, in some incredibly eye-catching, purple heels that I cannot even begin to describe for you, they were that awesome.
On Friday, May 20, Johnson is hosting "It's a Shoe Party" at her boutique, located in NoDa, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. In addition to checking out the colorful array of shoes, local designer Tara Davis of Flow by Tara Davis will showcase her signature purses and DeQuita White of D'Quisite Creations will have her beautiful jewelry on display. You may want to bring some shades to wear at this event, because the color is going to be explosive. (Photos of shoes snagged from the Elle VJ Facebook.)
And if you purchase or order any shoes, you'll get a 15 percent discount.
Platform party girls will want to check out this event on Friday, May 20: RE:Public will be hosting a night for the ladies, and, more importantly, 30 pairs of shoes from Fergie's new shoe line will be given out.
Considering the fact that the pop star is only 5'2" you should probably expect platform galore.
Here are some samples of Fergie Footwear from her website.
You can also enjoy free champagne from 10 p.m.-11 p.m. This event will be the first installment of RE:Publics monthly ladies night, which focuses on Gifting Suite, giving away merchandise from major fashion brands.
This morning as I was getting dressed, slapping hanger after hanger down the row past clothes I don't wear anymore, I thought about how I really ought to get in here and get rid of some of this stuff. It's only taking up my preciously limited closet space, and surely someone else can get some use out of my wardrobe.
If you're anything like me, then we ought to band together and donate some of our gently used goods. And Via Veneto Charlotte is offering you the opportunity to do so with your dress shoes, ladies. With payback.
Via Veneto Charlotte is partnering with Dress for Success during the Charlotte Has Sole Shoe Drive Event from Thursday, May 12th - Sunday, May 15th. Customers are encouraged to bring in slightly worn or unworn ladies shoes and receive a generous 20% discount off a new pair of shoes during this special event. The more shoes that are donated by a customer determines how many pairs of shoes that can be purchased. Donated shoes are encouraged to be appropriate for interview/work environment. The max discount per new pair of shoes is 20%.
What are you waiting for? Get together those black heels that you thought were so cute but pinch your toes, and head over to Via Veneto at Phillips Place. Hurry. You know how the weekend flies by.
Sorry to disappoint you, but when we say Margaritas, we're not talking about the punchy alcoholic drink made from tequila.
Now that summer is on the horizon, I'm thinking more and more about the gym and working out. Surely, the people who are running up and down my street in the evenings are doing their part to make me feel like I need to get back into a workout routine. But a greater motivator is discovering this line of activewear, Margarita Activewear. Produced in Israel, this line offers some of the most fashionable workout clothes I've seen.
Once upon a time, I'd have told you to find these colorful goodies at Asana Activewear, a fitness apparel shop at the Morrison Shopping Center. But in February, owner Gary Schwake announced the shop was closing. Luckily, a couple of weeks ago, good news dropped for fitness fashionistas who adore the Charlotte brand: ActivewearUSA.com acquired the assets of Asana Activewear, keeping Asana alive.
We are delighted with the acquisition, said Gary Schwake in a press release. This will allow our customers to buy the greatest activewear brands and Yoga clothing from a local Charlotte company with a strong focus on customer service. Moreover ActivewearUSA.com sells activewear brands that our clientele is already familiar with, such as Margarita Activewear, ION Actif, MPG and many more.
Shop www.activewearusa.com to find the most fashionable, colorful workout clothes if you're like me, you'll want to definitely get in the gym to show off your digs. See? Fashion does equal fitness. (Bonus: Use the coupon code GoActivewearUSA for free domestic shipping through May 20.)
In my never-ending quest to find boutiques with an interesting twist, I stumbled across a great new consignment shop.
Like most other shops of its kind, Buffalo Exchange buys and resells merchandise but boasts "cash, not consignment" as their way of business. Everything from shoes, to jackets, accessories, women and men's clothing and they also "trade."
Need a trendy top, a cute pair of jeans or a fabulous pair of Michael Kors sandals? Yes ... I said Michael Kors.
This boutique is a great place to go. You can find items from various designers from high ticket to low but all being sold at a wonderfully afordable price. In fact, my teenage son and I both found a new favorite while going through the racks. I found a fantastic floral print dress by Oscar de la Renta. And he picked up Nike sneakers, barely worn with the replacement laces tucked inside (unused), circa 1999. And to top it off, the cashier gave us the option of going plastic or token. I'm used to hearing "paper or plastic" at my local supermarket but "token"? That was a new one. Essentially, if you don't take a plastic bag, you receive a token worth $0.05 to deposit into one of the charity boxes mounted on the wall as you leave the store. They then donate all of the money to the selected charities. Isn't that awesome? Needless to say, in an effort to support a "green" shopping experience, we opted for the tokens.
If you love affordable shopping with a cause and know that there are tons of hidden little gems to be found in boutiques just like this one, check out Buffalo Exchange located at 1521 Central Ave. in Plaza Midwood.
T. Strong is a TV personality, personal stylist and fashion journalist who contributes commentary on Creative Loafings Klepto blog in addition to writing for several other national media organizations. To learn more visit www.StyleMayvin.com or follow therealtstrong on Twitter.
The event Jeans and Jewels: Bling Your Booty makes getting dressed up for a snazzy shindig easy. Men combine jeans and tux and women mix jeans and jewelry. Simple, right? If you dont have any, this gives you an excuse to go shopping. The event benefiting 24 Hours of Booty also features a silent auction, a raffle, a fashion show, a DJ, heavy hors doeuvres and beverages (beer/wine). For more information, visit www.jeansandjewelscharlotte.com. $40-$50. 7 p.m.-midnight. 1 Bank of America Center Building-Urban Garden, 150 N. College St.