Brand to Know: Madewell

Madewell is an up-and-coming brand that is starting to make a splash in the fashion world. The clothes already have that perfect worn-in look to them, that many a store and brand has attempted (I'm not going to mention names but cough-Abercrombie-cough) but has never really achieved.   Madewell started out in 1937 as a workwear company but folded in 1989.  Somewhere in the 1990s J. Crew bought the brand, and transformed it into an all-American women's wear store.  But don't let all the Americana fool you, most of the products are made in China and elsewhere.  However, Madewell is unique in the fact that it does offer items made by local artisans/crafters/etc. 

I made up two outfits, one for a trip to the Capitol Market (best farmer's market in the state), and one that's perfect for the first day back on campus:

 

Polyvore set here.

Madewell calls this dress color Cherry, but I'd call it Plum.  The color isn't dark enough to be only a fall/winter color, and would pair well with summer color staples of orange or turquoise.  It's made out of jersey, light for summer, and easily paired with a cardigan come October.  The heels can be worn throughout fall as well.  The necklace adds a bit of shine.  I love this messenger bag.  Like seriosuly, I'm highly considering getting it.   I've been on the lookout out for a good messenger for over a year, and I'm thinking this might fit the bill.

For those about to start back to school:

Polyvore set here.

I have friends who start classes as soon as the second week of August, so I made a first day outfit that will not only keep you cool on the long trek across campus, but to keep you warm the moment you step into class.  I have no idea why, but every college feels the need to keep the classrooms a frigid 62 degrees, hence the cardigan.  I love the bright navy contrasting with the coral.  The sandals are more interesting that a basic pair of leather flip flops.  This bag isn't big enough to be a bookbag, but it will hold your wallet, planner, and all sorts of other nessecities. 

Pricewise, Madewell isn't horrible.  I'd put it on par with Macy's or White House|Black Market.  Their sales are pretty good, so check those out.  The nearest locations are in Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, and Georgetown, Washington D.C.

Click here for the Madewell website.

Holy Kow, the Kardashians are Getting Their Own Polish Kolors!

The Kardashian sisters have teamed up with OPI's down market brand Nicole to come up with a line of nail polishes, a la the Justin Bieber collection.  Khloe revealed the existence of the line and one of the colors last night via Twitter:





Other than the fact I'm mildly horrified by the shape of her nails, this navy blue creme doesn't look too bad.  Am I expecting to be impressed by this collection?  Not one bit, but mostly due to the brand, not the ladies endorsing the colors.  Nicole by OPI is one of the worst brands of polish I have ever used.  It's streaky and no matter how much of a creme the polish is, the color looks uneven on my nails.  Nicole is maybe fifty cents cheaper than regular OPI, so I would skip the Nicole and find a similar color.  OPI does make a similar color, called Russian Navy.

Charleston Native and Actress Kristen Ruhlin Dresses to Impress

Charleston isn't home to just actress Jennifer Garner, it's also the hometown to up and coming actress Kristen Ruhlin.  She got her start in the local group The Kanawha Players, where her mother managed productions.  She's a fellow Catholic school grad, and is the cutest thing ever.  She graduated with a degree in fashion design from Ohio State, and uses that knowledge to avoid the fashion disasters that most young actresses commit before they can afford stylists.  There's not a lot of pictures of her (yet!), but I'm very impressed with her fashion choices:

So classic.  So cute. 

She looks fantastic in red!

Itching to steal  her style?  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Polyvore Set Found Here

Kristen's newest movie, She Wants Me, is due out later this year. 

BGP: Bumble and bumble Creme de Coco

As I've mentioned previously, I'm not great with hair.  Usually, as long as it's clean and not a total mess, I'm usually fine with the state of my hair.  But after the horribly highlighting incident from earlier this year, my hair has been all sorts of messed up.  I've always had oily hair, but now the top of my head is super oily, and about 8 inches down or so is completely dried out.  I've been going through shampoos and conditioners trying to find something that will make my hair look and feel better.  After several recent attempts, I think I finally found something.

Walmart, in it's somewhat desperate search to be something for everybody has begun to carry salon brands such as Essie nail polish and all sorts of hair brands such as Big Sexy [Whatever], Federic Fekkai, Bed Head, etc.  Again, since I'm not a hair person, I've never had the urge to buy any of these products because I can't justify spend $25 on a small bottle of shampoo.  However, Walmart did stock some travel sizes of Bumble and bumble travel size products for about $7.50.  I seriously kept thinking about buying them just to try them, but $15 bucks for travel size shampoos?  Really?  However, I found them just the other night at one of the Huntington Walmarts for just $2 per bottle.  I went ahead and got several of the Creme de Coco bottles because now the price seems reasonable.

I'm happy I tried this shampoo and conditioner out.  The Creme de Coco not only manages the oil spill on top of my head, but it combats the Sahara that my ends resemble.  This shampoo really doesn't seem to lather right away, and a seemingly small amount will get the job done, no matter how long or thick your hair may be. The most impressive thing about this set is the fact that my hair stays clean-looking until I wash it the next time.  I try not to wash my hair everyday, as that dries it out even more, but when you work outside in 90 degree weather and your head sweats like crazy, it can't be avoided.  But my hair has stayed fresh looking, and I'm overjoyed at that.

The only reason I will not buy the full-size bottles is price.  At $22 per  8 oz bottle, it's just not fiscally feasible.  Even though the formula seems more concentrated than say Suave or Pantene, and a bottle may last you 2 months or so, that's a lot of money when I can probably find another--cheaper--alternative. 

There is a cheaper alternative:



I bought this out of curiosity this spring while in Washington D.C. I remember seeing the bottles at the Rite-Aid my friend worked at in college (I'd visit and shoot the breeze with her while looking at makeup and hair stuff), and always wanted to try it.  At the time, I couldn't afford $12/bottle shampoo.  However, while in the most amazing hair and beauty product place EVER, the Chinatown Bed, Bath & Beyond, I found bottles for only $5/bottle.  Even though this picture shows the thickening shampoo (something  I sure don't need), I have the glossing shampoo, and it's every bit as incredible as the Creme de Coco. 

The downside: the heavily perfumed smell.  I can smell the perfume on my pillows when I get up in the morning, and throughout the day.  While this may not bother some people, I wake up with a bit of congestion that's a bit irritating.  For special occasions, or when I meet with clients, I'll use this shampoo for the unmatched shine it provides.  It's also a bit difficult to find.  It's not carried at Rite-Aid anymore, and while I haven't checked Drug Emporium, I may have to go online to buy more. 

Both the Bumble and bumble and Charles Worthington are fantastic products, the cost of one and the limited availability of the other will probably prevent me from purchasing either in the future.  The search for the perfect shampoo continues...