Store profile: Emersonmade

Emerson of the EmersonMade site has the kind of simple, easy fashion style that I (among others) strive for.

It seems like her closet (aka, the store) is filled with those mix-and-match staples that all seem to go together effortlessly.

Of course, effortless style is expensive.

Those cool straight-legged jeans are $188. The shrunken motorcycle jacket (made of waxed cotton, no less) is $248. The always-polished trench dress, $248.

That said, it’s easy to look at the easy pieces both alone and together and think — how easy my life would be if I had these!

Some of my favorites:

• Silk Ribbon Blouse, $188
• Moto Jacket, $248
• Emerson Belt, $68
• Seersucker and Brass Dress, $218

Spring jeans

I’m kind of a fan of this denim top from Celine’s spring 2011 ready-to-wear line. This Moto Denim Roll Sleeve Tee, $60 at Topshop, has hints of it…

I need a new bag!

I’ve now gone 2 seasons with the same green can’t-find-a-damn-thing bag. So now I’m in the market for something new.

Here are a few I’m thinking about:

1. Leather Ring Detail Buckle Satchel, $112.06
2. Alternative Apparel Brief Bag, $128
3. Melie Bianco Maurissa Olive Green Handbag, $94
4. Soft Briefcase Satchel, $62
5. Truly Gritty Gorgeous Bag, $99.99
6. Bedstu Sobel, $94
7. On the Case Bag, $179.99
8. Lizette Crossbody, $69.99
9. Tan Washed Look Satchel, $70
10. Handcrafted Satchel, $139
11. Jean Crossbody Bag, $227
12. Large Satchel, $335
13. Laramie Satchel, $228

Anyone have any favorites?

Local boutique: a.ware

There’s a (relatively) new local boutique next to Lola’s Coffee on Central and Highland — a.ware.

Books, cards, body products, jewelry, cute pouches and purses — the small space, which opened early last December, is filled with eclectic, artsy and mostly local objects.

“90% of the brands we carry local,” mentioned an owner, but they do carry some stuff from Los Angeles and other non-Phoenix designers.

Currently for sale, some great photo prints by Aline Smithson (now showing at Tilt Gallery), which at $450, are a little price-y, but art is an investment, right?

a.ware
4700 North Central Avenue, Suite 101
Phoenix, AZ

Store profile: Reform School Rules

More times than once, I’ve seen items profiled in magazines and the site they refer to is Reform School Rules.

The gifty site has prints, kits and all around cool stuff in categories like: Art 101, Library, School Supplies, and Locker Room.

Here are a few things that I’m liking:

1. Amish Made Scooters, $245
2. Keep Calm And Carry On, $15
3. Leather Handmade Football, $138
4. Make Your Own Ukulele Kit, $44
5. Produce Calendar, $23
6. Japanese Masking Tape, $20
7. Feather Power, $35

Local sales!

I just did a post for The New Times‘ Jackalope Ranch blog about local boutique sales going on NOW.

Another deal I found, 10% off your first class card of the year at Desert Song Yoga through March 31, 2011.

See 5 local boutiques having sales >>

Happy New Year!!!

What’s Cracking Good — The New Year!

I took a week off of blogging to hang out with my out-of-town sister, and see friends, and truth be told, sit on my couch and watch movies.

But now it’s the new year and officially time to restart, renew and figure out what the hell I’m going to do this year.

Why not start with some resolutions?

Resolution #1 — Cook more for friends
My husband is considered the cook of the family. I make some mean out-of-the-box brownies, but when it comes to the real deal meal cooking, most, would say that Jay is the go-to guy. Part of it is his fault; he is a kitchen Nazi and can’t stand to even watch me dice an onion. But I must admit, I’ve voluntarily put myself in the back seat and enjoyed his kitchen reign.

Also, I’m having a baby in a few months, and from what I’ve heard, if I plan on having a social life, I’m going to have to figure out how to lure my friends to my house.

So, I want to start learning to make the basics. I got this book, What to Cook and How to Cook It, which breaks recipes down to a degree even I can understand. There are pictures showing the ingredients for the meal as well as steps along the way (as far as I’m concerned, the more pictures the better).

Resolution #2 — Organize my office
I recently went to a friends’ office and she apologized profusely about the mess.

“What mess?” I wondered aloud. To get to my desk, you have to hop over piles of magazines, loose papers, books, and some trash. Pick up any of the aforementioned items and chances are high a dust bunny will come with it.

In a word (or two), my office is a flippin’ wreck.

The baby is going to inhabit my current office, which makes it a perfect time to actually purge and reorganize in a meaningful way.

Resolution #3 — Buy more vintage
Due to my expanding waistline, I’ve purchased the few new clothing items I’ve needed (elastic waist skinny jeans and white crewneck tees) from Old Navy.

What I’ve wanted more than anything: vintage. Shirt dresses with a fitted waist, funky belts and cute little jackets.

I feel better about buying vintage because of the quality — and because every piece I buy feels a little more special. This 1940s dress and 1930s bracelet are a couple of the items on Etsy I’m coveting at the moment.

Workbench ‘pops up’ in CityScape

I’d heard the term “pop-up shop” online, but I wasn’t really quite sure about the logistics. How exactly does a store pop up? For how long?

Then I heard about Workbench, a new local designer home pop-up store in downtown Phoenix, and decided to get to the bottom of the term.

Apparently a pop-up shop is a short-term retail store. It could pop up for one day — or in Workbench’s case, they have a (cheap) 3-month lease at CityScape, possibly with the potential to extend.

That’s a good and bad thing, because I’m a big fan of Workbench.

The store has a slightly unfinished feel you might expect of a transient location, but it’s filled with modern, well-designed pieces from a bunch of talented local artists, architects and designers.

Lew Gallo (former owner of Haus) has contributed a few tables, an entertainment center and a bench. Architect Christoph Kaiser made some great tables for the endeavor. Architect Ben Hall is selling a modern cowhide recliner. Shauna Thibault (my hairstylist) has some cool paintings for sale. And the inventory keeps growing and changing. And they’re adding stuff all the time, like smaller items, like terrariums made in wood-like pottery from The Green Room, dinnerware, picture frames and the like.

Check them out at CityScape (next to the CVS) before they pop back out.

Workbench
50 W. Jefferson St. in CityScape
Open Tuesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
and Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Paintings by Shauna Thibault and an entertainment center by Lew Gallo.

Some of the smaller items for sale at Workbench.

A terrarium from The Green Room.

A survey of CityScape Shopping >>

If you missed Crafeteria…

For the 5th year in a row, Frances/Smeeks owner, Georganne Bryant has put on the wildly successful Crafeteria indie craft fair, where local DIYers, printers, bakers and more come together to sell their unique wares before the holidays.

If you missed this years fair, take a look at the list I created for Jackalope Ranch showing most of this year’s vendors with links to their online shops.

Categories include arts, wearables (clothes and jewelry), paper goods, kid & baby and miscellaneous goods…all from local folks.

See the whole list >>

Now open: downtown Urban Outfitters

Please go to the new Urban Outfitters downtown.

I beseech you.

I made my first visit to the much-anticipated (by me) store at lunchtime today…and I think I heard crickets. During my visit there might have been another customer or two, but for 2-weeks-before-Christmas shopping traffic — there was little — which worries me.

Sure, it’s still early. ASU students are thinking about finals, not making a fashion statement. But still…

The hipster face Urban Outfitters is the perfect bridge between the cool indie stores and the retail chains joining the CityScape shopping/restaurant destination. A popular shopping spot doing well will surely help the rest of the little boutique shops — thus keeping downtown Phoenix interesting.

I bought 2 t-shirts today (on sale) to do my part. Your turn.

Urban Outfitters
11 W. Washington St., #100
CityScape
Phoenix, 85003
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