Best. Feedback. Ever. (re: #BCNYChicago)

At the Bill Cunningham NY Cocktail Reception (l-r): Aunt Levesta, Aunt Regina, Me, Mom

As much as I appreciate the love and support shown to me by my readers, it is even more special when it comes from family!

I received the most amazing email from my Aunt Levesta, about the "Bill Cunningham NY" Cocktail Reception! SO amazing, it deserves its own post.

To My StyleNieceta, Nikia of ChiTown Fashionista:

I had a simply fab, and marvelous time, surrounded by elegance, designer driven talent,inspiration, great conversations, and networking. The atmosphere had the ambiance of happiness, and the patrons were fashionable and dressed to the "T" from head to toe. You did an awesome job of connecting us and making us feel welcome. The libations and food was presented with style. And of course, I enjoyed my gift bag stocked with valuable amenities. The whole event, culminating with the electricity of "Bill Cunningham NY", was remarkable.

You know how to do it with class!

Love, your Aunt,

Levesta

The Best is Yet to Come!

Best. Feedback. Ever.

Thanks to my family for always supporting me and ChiTown Fashionista! xo

Linking Up: Mondo's jewelry line; Adopting the Chicago street-style trends; Two fashionably fabulous couples

The Cut sits down with Project Runway's Mondo Guerra and gives us a sneak peek at his upcoming jewelry collection! (click HERE to see why I'm so excited)

Amy Creyer (by way of Refinery29) provides us with tips on how to incorporate the latest street style trends into our wardrobe. (click HERE for the 4-1-1)

Guerreisms snaps photos of two amazingly stylish couples. (click HERE to be visually charmed)

Chicago Bulls shirts...the unconventional way

"What about those Bulls?" is the topic of conversation for many of us in the Chi. And I've discovered some unique t-shirts that will creatively convey your love for the home team.


For the ladies, peep the "Little Miss Chicago Bulls" t-shirt and "Little Miss Bulls" raglan by Junk Food Clothing. It's an NBA spin on the iconic Roger Hargreaves "Little Miss" character. Are you feeling nostalgic yet?


For the guys, the "4 Wings & A Crossover" t-shirt by Enstrumental Clothing + Sneaker Fiend + Hebru Brantley is the way to go. The shirt combines two of ChiTown's favorites: Derrick Rose and Harold's Chicken Shack. And if you need more persuasion, the word on the street is that D. Rose loves it. 'Nuff said.

With these shirts priced at $40 and under, there really is no reason why you shouldn't own one. Because what's the alternative? Exactly.

GIVEAWAY: Win a pair of passes to the Randolph Street Market season opener!

I'm not going to spend too much time expressing my undying love for the Randolph Street Market. Those of you that follow this blog and/or know me personally already recognize that it's kind of an obsession.  Since discovering the market 2 years ago, I've been an avid supporter of both the Randolph Street Market and its sister event, Modern Vintage.

Held at the end of each month throughout the Summer, the Randolph Street Market is the best place to find antiques, vintage clothing and jewelry, furniture (both as-is and refurbished), personable vendors and great food. There's also the Indie Designer Market where you'll encounter some of the best Chicago independent designers...it's where I discovered SWABY!

This upcoming weekend is the season opener of the Randolph Street Market and it promises to be major! The season opener has the most vendors and best merchandise. It also gives you an opportunity to discover your favorite dealers and give you an idea of who/what to look for in the coming months. This year, they are introducing Early Shopping Saturdays ($20, benefits Chicago House), Shopping Refund Vouchers, and a lower entry price.

Thanks to the lovely folks at Randolph Street Market, I'm giving away TWO pairs of passes for the season opener!

To enter: Leave a comment with your name and email address. 

Simple. As. That.

The giveaway ends Thursday, May 26th at 11:59PM (CST). So, act fast...and GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

Congratulations to Taylor and Mz B! I will be in touch very shortly.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways.

Celebrating Bill Cunningham in Chicago!

Last Friday, I, along with Emma of Trés Awesome, hosted a cocktail reception for the Chicago opening of "Bill Cunningham New York" (BCNY). It was SO great to witness a simple idea turn into such an amazing event!

Tula, a chic boutique nestled inside of a vintage brownstone and located directly across from the Music Box Theatre, was the perfect location to bring together our readers, fellow bloggers and local tastemakers to celebrate this inspiring documentary.  The vibe in the room was electric! Style mavens mingled and shopped between cupcake bites and trips to the Daily Candy "Candy Bar"; while wine and Grand Marnier cocktails were on hand to quench everyone's thirst.




The vintage cameras and Trés Awesome photos included in the window display were a literal nod to the work of THE original street style photographer, Bill Cunningham.  And the best part of it all? The photo sweep that captured everyone's personal style (click HERE to view the photos) for our "Best in Style" competition. Visit Trés Awesome to see the winners!







Richard Press (BCNY director) and Philip Gefter (BCNY producer) also made an appearance. I think it's safe to say their presence at the cocktail reception made the event official!  Guests had the opportunity to chat with them about the film in an intimate setting. The experience was priceless.




Just as we hoped, many walked over to the Music Box to catch one of the two screenings that evening. Luckily, I had the opportunity to view BCNY at a private screening earlier in the week. I can't say enough about how phenomenal the film is.  To have a sneak peek into the life of a man who has over 50 years of experience documenting fashion is a rarity.  Philip Gefter describes Bill's work as "cultural anthropology" and I couldn't agree more. Bill's genuine love for photographing clothes (he cares nothing about celebrities) and the dedication he has to his craft is not only endearing, but inspiring.

If you're in Chicago, the film runs through May 26th at the Music Box Theatre. If you're not in Chicago, check the listings to find out when it will be showing in your city.

I've been thanking people all weekend on Twitter and Facebook...my mom taught me well. *smile* But I can't say "thank you" enough to those that came out to support our event and celebrate with us, all in the name of fashion. Even Mother Nature blessed us with wonderful weather that day!

Last but not least...



Oh, and for those wondering what was inside the gift bags...


Pretty good swag, huh?

Click HERE to see the rest of the photos.

*Special thanks to Music Box Theatre and Zeitgeist for their cooperation and support.
**Extra special thanks to Laura Westgate at Tula for allowing us to utilize her space.

Mobile Shopping Chronicles: Tommy Hilfiger Striped Travel Bag

Prefect for the preppy jetsetter! And available for $59.99, which is half off retail!

*spotted at Marshalls on Canal

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Linking Up: Wear Mickey Mouse in Style; Jason Wu and Jenna Lyons spotted in the Chi; Fashionable work wear; The trending turban; McQueen's armadillo shoe ornament

Le Blog de Big Beauty rocks Mickey Mouse in style! (click HERE to see how)

Trés Awesome snaps a photo of Jason Wu and Jenna Lyons in Chicago. (click HERE to see the fabulousness)

Refinery29 shows us how to dress for work without compromising style. (click HERE for the tips)

The Stylish Life addresses the turban trend. (click HERE to chime in)

The CUT shows us the new McQueen Armadillo Shoe Ornament! (click HERE to check it out)

Join ME at the Chicago Reception for "Bill Cunningham New York"!

I'm excited to announce that I, along with Chicago street style photographer Emma Arnold of Très Awesome, will be hosting a pre-screening reception for the Chicago opening of “Bill Cunningham New York” at the Music Box Theatre.

The event will be held at Tula, an upscale boutique located in a beautiful vintage brownstone directly across from the Music Box Theatre. We will celebrate the life work of this truly iconic street style photographer over small bites and cocktails.

As always, DRESS TO IMPRESS! There will be a best dressed competition with ridiculously fashionable prizes from Wilfred Newman and Elyse Marie Venie. There will also be a drawing for a personal style consultation with Haute Closet.

Thanks to our amazing sponsors, you can expect to find gift bags filled with goodies (reserved for the first 100 RSVP guests to arrive) and a delectable "Candy Bar" (courtesy of Daily Candy).

The guest list is filling up fast, so hurry over to bcnychicago.eventbrite.com to RSVP!   And for my fellow Twitter junkies, #bcnychicago will be the official hashtag for the event.

I hope to see you there!

P.S. "Bill Cunningham New York" will be playing at the Music Box Theatre right across the street beginning May 20th. Movie tickets can be purchased at the box office or at musicboxtheatre.com.





OUR SPONSORS:




Daily Candy, American Express Zync, Tula, OPI, E by Elise Marie Venie, Goorin Bros. Hat Shop, The Haute Closet, Wilfred Newman Hand Tailored Apparel,Randolph Street Market



ABOUT THE FILM Documenting uptown fixtures (Anna Wintour, Tom Wolfe, Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller—who all appear in the film out of their love for Bill), downtown eccentrics and everyone in between, Cunningham’s enormous body of work is more reliable than any catwalk as an expression of time, place and individual flair. In turn, Bill Cunningham New York is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace. - zeitgeistfilms.com


“A magisterial documentary about urban life and creativity.”
- Hilton Als, THE NEW YORKER

“A great documentary for a deserving fashion legend.”
- Mark Mikin, ESQUIRE ONLINE

[Shoe Swoon] Miu Miu Cracked Leather Pumps

This edition of "Shoe Swoon" features a shoe that I actually purchased.  However, after several attempts of trying to justify squeezing my feet in them, I've decided to find them a better home and list them on eBay.

With a retail price of $435, this cracked leather pump is everything! It is the perfect metallic, works equally well with jeans or a pencil skirt, and shows a bit of toe cleavage. 

Plus, the designer is Miu Miu!

Prada's little sister = high quality Italian leather + the envy of all your friends

Mosey on over to eBay to get in on the bidding! Not a size 9? Pass it along to your size 9 friends. SOMEone needs to have these beauties!

The perfect oxford and then some...

The oxford trend has been going strong since 2009.  As one who lives in heels, it has taken awhile for me to embrace it.  I wasn't a fan until a few days ago, when I found what I deemed to be the perfect pair!  Amongst the clearance rack at DSW on Roosevelt and Canal, I encountered the Jazzy Oxford by Crown Vintage (shown above).  The wingtip and kiltie tassel detail paired with the beautiful cream color and soft suede makes this the perfect Spring shoe! The bad news is that it wasn't in my size (be warned that this shoe runs small). But the good news is that it is available online. And even though the clearance price isn't online, the retail price ($39.95) is still a bargain. Gosh, I love the internet!

If you're new to the oxford trend, the key to finding the perfect one this season is to look for light colors, cutout or perforated detailing, and an almond shaped toe. These characteristics will ensure that your menswear-inspired look is airy and feminine.

Of course, I had to round up some more of my current favorites.

Like to see 'em? Here they go!

Coral Woven Brogue at Dorothy Perkins ($50) - The lovely coral woven detail is great for those looking to add more color to their wardrobe.

Navy Canvas Mix Brogues at Dorothy Perkins ($20) - The mix of canvas and faux leather adds texture to an already amazing navy shoe.

Gregory Brogue by Matisse ($68) - Can you ever go wrong with animal print? I think not.

Harland Slip-On Brogue by Boutique9 ($138) - The lace-less design will make you look cool while the perforated leather will make you feel cool...literally.

Kelley by Jeffrey Campbell ($110) - A two-toned cutout with kiltie tassels? Pick it up! *ding*

Woven Leather Brogues by Miu Miu ($545) - The high level of craftmanship that went into creating these woven leather oxfords is more than enough to justify the price.

Ladies, how do you feel about the oxford trend?
Yea? or Nay?