Posts tagged STA
Heatwave Hairstyles for Summer
May 24th
Summer is a great time for experimenting with fun, bright new fashion trends. As the temperature gets hotter, I look for new means to work a sundress or a pair of cutoffs—and also to experiment with ways to tame my thick, long brown hair as the humidity takes its toll. I know I’m not the only one with heat wave hair struggles, so hopefully these new summer hair trends will help us rock flawless summer looks from hair to toe.
The first and most flexible hairstyle to rock this summer is an old standby: braids! But I’m not talking Pippi Longstocking pigtails—there’s so much more. The fishtail braid is a fun and easy style to try; I like pulling all of my hair to the side in a low pony and braiding it all into a fishtail. One of the greatest parts of a fishtail braid is that it looks great even when it’s a little messy, so it really takes no effort. Another great braid to try is a braid crown. For those who are a little more experienced in braiding, this style is definitely one to try. You can either braid part of your hair into a crown, or try your whole head of hair for a bohemian updo.
For those who want something a little simpler, don’t be afraid to play around with different buns! The topknot has been a favorite in fashion for a few years now, and it isn’t going anywhere. Take it to the next level by trying a topknot sock bun—the sock bun will add extra volume to your limp summer locks, and is the perfect look to take from day to night. For a gentler, more tousled look, try a loose bun at the nape of your neck. It’ll add some glamour to your look.
Finally, when it truly is too hot to deal with anything, you can always resort to a big floppy hat. It’ll hide your frizzies, protect your face from the sun, and requires no time or practice!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits: vanessajackman.com, stylishboard.com, tumblr.com, defrumpme.com)
Four Spring Essentials Easily Under $100
May 15th
Gearing up for warming weather is fun, but it can also be expensive. Here are four must-haves for this springtime season that will help you look like a trendsetter on the cheap.
1. Stackable bracelets
This is a great trend that anyone at any age can try. If you like to mix and match your jewelry, go all out with different colored bangles in all different sizes and shapes, no combination is wrong! Should you want to coordinate your look a little more, go with a similar color palette – like black and gold – and just mix and match different textures, such as a black leather bracelet paired with a few solid gold bangles.
Shown here: Various bracelets at Second Time Around in Haddonfield, NJ (starting at $18, call 856-354-9400 to order)
2. Printed Pants
Think you need to work at a fashion magazine to pull off this look? Think again! With the right kind of print, this springtime look can be worn during a family weekend event or to the office (if you work in a more casual workplace, of course). For a weekend look, go with a lightweight sweater in a solid color – white works best for the fashionably conservative, while cobalt blue works great for style extroverts. To transform this piece for the office, pair it with a neutral top and matching neutral-colored blazer and keep accessories minimal.
Shown here: Ralph Lauren pants at Second Time Around in Boston, MA ($49, call 617-247-3504 to order)
3. Chambray Top
The new closet essential is hands-down the chambray button-down. Perfect with white jeans or a printed skirt, chambray has become the new neutral, replacing plain, white button-downs. Break it out at work under a blazer or with a skirt, then dress it down for the weekend with linen shorts for those extra warm days.
Shown here: Rag & Bone top at Second Time Around in Boston, MA
4. Bright Floral Accessories
Springtime is the chance to break out the flower power, and there’s no better way to do so than in bright, bold colors. While matching your shoes to your handbag is an outdated fashion rule, if you match with a fun print, your outfit will look modern and fresh. Since these accessories are in such a feminine print, you can balance your ensemble by wearing them with pants and a button-down, like the chambray top in #3. Pair these printed accessories with a solid-colored outfit to avoid being overly busy, and you’ll be the envy of your next workday or weekend get-together!
Shown here: Betsey Johnson flats and Stuart Weitzman handbag at Second Time Around in Boston, MA ($32 for the size 7.5 flats, $79 for the handbag, call 617-247-3504 to order)
~Ashley, FashioniSTA
Taking Festival Fashion to Daily Life
May 6th
Street style photographers assemble for hours outside of Lincoln Center during Fashion Week in the hopes of capturing the chicest outfits and most inspirational ensembles from the high fashion elite. However, with the rise in popularity of music festivals like Coachella, festival fashion has garnered its own notoriety. Those same street style photographers now crowd the barren desert campgrounds of Palm Springs, photographing hip concertgoers rocking the latest trends.
As a bit of a festival veteran (I, too, paraded around Palm Desert last spring for Coachella and have attended San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival a few times), I must warn you that festival fashion isn’t always the most wearable in day-to-day life. The desert heat and packed amphitheatres make crocheted crop-tops and high-wasted cutoffs seem okay—but that doesn’t really fly in day-to-day life. Here are a few tips so you can still rock those fun festival styles without hitting the desert.
1. Go Wild with Prints
Festival goers love their animal prints! Cheetah print tops, pants and jackets—you name it. Try this trend on the daily by switching up your normal blouse with a cheetah print one. Pair it with simple black pants and a leather jacket—you’ll be rocking festival style without being too outrageous. If you want to be a little more daring, choose a pair of animal printed pants or a wild leopard print jacket.
2. Crop It
I’ve never seen more crop tops than when I was at Coachella. While some of the girls paired their cropped tops with hip-hugging shorts or jeans, I don’t have that confidence. If you’re like me and just want to show a little stomach, try a crop top with a high waisted pair of slacks or a maxi-skirt (another festival staple). Finish off the look with a fun structured jacket or blazer.
3. Heavy Metal
The hardest part about rocking festival trends is that they’re not always appropriate for daily wear. However, the chicest festival goers always had one thing in common—awesome statement jewelry—which can be worn no matter the occasion. This trend is super easy to try and you can tweak it to match your own personal style. I like piling on the silver jewelry: numerous rings on my fingers, a solid silver arm party, and a spiky statement necklace. Make the trend your own by layering your own favorite jewelry pieces—the more the merrier!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits: garancedore.fr, harpersbazaar.com, refinery29.com, obaz.com, dropdeadgorgeousdaily.com, mydaily.co.uk, studdedhearts.com, freepeople.com)
One Weekend For The One Fund
May 2nd
The events of the 2013 Boston Marathon hit us close to home. With our headquarters located in Boston, as well as three stores located on Boston’s Newbury Street, our hearts went out to the victims, the first responders, and everyone affected by the tragedy.
During the weekend of May 17th – May 19th, 10% of all STA sales will be donated to The One Fund, benefitting the Boston Marathon victims.
We are proud to be from Boston, and we celebrate this one weekend in honor of The One Fund.
ALL LOCATIONS
www.secondtimearound.net
Trend Obsession: Monochrome Moment, Part 2
Mar 14th
Last week, we focused on monochrome looks in their most classic form: black and white. Dressing in just one color can be daunting, so starting with all-black or all-white ensembles is a great way to experiment with the monochrome trend. But now that we’re a little more comfortable with the look, why should we just limit ourselves to black and white? As we enter into spring, we want our outfits to reflect our sunnier moods—that means color, and lots of it!
Once you’ve mastered black and white, try out a monochrome look in one of spring’s hottest colors; my favorites are emerald, blue-green, or orange, but don’t be afraid to try something new! The most important part of putting together a colorful monochrome look is to wear the color in a variety of tones—make sure your look isn’t matchy-matchy and stay away from choosing all pieces that are too similar in shade.
For a casual day-to-day look, choose one piece of clothing in a bright color and build the rest of your outfit around it. Try pairing a pale blue silk blouse with a pair of electric blue pants and accessorize with a navy blazer or a patterned blue scarf. Choosing a suit in a bright color (as seen above) is an even bolder way to try this trend, just make sure your accessories and other components aren’t the identical shade as the suit. To transition the outfit to evening, add a brightly colored clutch or a vibrant pair of blue pumps to your ensemble. Color-coordinating your accessories to your outfit is an absolute must with this trend.
The key to wearing colorful monochrome is not being afraid to experiment; just because you’re limited to one color doesn’t mean you can’t play around with different shades and patterns! Step into spring in a fun, colorful monochrome look–you’ll be sure to stand out!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits for collage: www.nyanzi.com, carolinesmode.com, www.asos.com)
Why a Consign & Buy is STA’s Best Promotion
Mar 6th
We all love a good promotion (who doesn’t like getting an extra discount or added perk?), but there are certain ones that really break the mold. For us, it’s the Consign & Buy, easily our favorite STA initiative, and it’s not just because everyone gets a 50/50 split (10% more than usual). Whether you’re a shopper or consignor, this is the promotion that beats them all. Allow us to break it down for you…
1. It makes spring cleaning about 1000 times easier. Have you looked at your closet lately? Yeah, we know, it’s scary (don’t worry, we’re in the same boat). It can be daunting enough to rifle through your wardrobe, nevermind think ahead to making a consignment appointment. With this promotion, you don’t need an appointment! You can just put your items in a bag and drop them off at any STA store on your way to brunch or dinner. (Can you tell we like to eat?)
2. You get extra STA credit that you can use on the items you want, and it’s easier than you think. Unless you go years without cleaning out your closet, you might think that you don’t have enough to maximize your extra STA credit. Most people don’t think to look at their accessories when cleaning out their closets, but bringing in jewelry, sunglasses and other small accessories is a great way to capitalize on the credit.
3. Tons of new product, enough said. A Consign & Buy makes it so easy to consign your items, the amount of new merchandise that goes on display is incredible. Plus if you’ve taken advantage of the consigning part of this promotion, you can shop these new goodies using your extra STA credit!
4. No wondering about your drop-off. With a Consign & Buy, a store associate will immediately evaluate your items, so you know right away what has been accepted and you can take any unaccepted items home with you. You get the best of both worlds with this promotion, you don’t have to make an appointment, but you get all of the benefits of one.
What are you waiting for?! Get yourself to any Second Time Around store from Thursday, March 7th – Sunday, March 10th to get in on the best promotion around!
Trend Obsession: Monochrome Moment, Part 1
Feb 28th
Fashion is all about self-expression, so when black and white monochrome looks became popular, I was a bit hesitant to participate. How can you fully express your fashion sense without the use of color? However, after seeing this trend on nearly every runway, I decided it was worth a shot—and now I’m obsessed!
One of the great things about this trend is that most of us have a bunch of separate black and white pieces in our closets. Because you’re only dressing in black and white, it is actually a fairly easy trend to construct from any wardrobe, as long as you know how. For a subtler look for the office or during the day, play around with contrasting separates in a more unconventional way. Instead of donning the traditional black pants/white top look, try a pair of white pants and pair them with a black cashmere sweater or silk top. Since the look is simplistic in color, you can get away with incorporating more organic detail, whether it’s adding a belt or layering two embellished pieces in the same hue.
If you’re a little more daring, try wearing an ensemble of all white—the color is perfect for transitioning into spring and actually helps to create a slimming silhouette. And with winter white popping up everywhere, you no longer have to wait until Memorial Day to break it out.
If you want to rock monochrome in the evening, play around with black and white patterns; throw on a polka dotted blazer or a pair of striped pants and accessorize with a black and white color blocked bag. If you’re super daring, experiment with—gasp!—mixing different black and white patterns in one outfit. Mixing black and white prints is an easy way to try out the contrasting prints trend, giving you two trends in one!
Monochromatic black and white is absolutely everywhere this season, from the runways to the magazines. The trend is fun, flattering and easy, so don’t be afraid to give it a shot! Stay tuned as we show you how to work with other hues for a monochromatic look!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits for collage: Style.com, Refinery29.com, Harpersbazaar.com)
Get the Look: Spring 2013
Feb 22nd
The snow is melting (for now) and the flowers are blooming…spring is officially upon us! And in the fashion world this means, pastels, floral prints, bold neons, and skirts sans tights. This spring, with trends coming from every angle – from super masculine to extra feminine – opposites really do attract!
Stripes are always a must come springtime, but this year say goodbye to nautical themed stripes and hello to the big and the bold. Wide, statement-making stripes can be found on everything from leggings to bathing suits. Try subtlety mixing this pattern into your current wardrobe by pairing a striped tee with a boyfriend blazer and cropped pants. Or if you’re the more fashion forward type, fully embrace the look and go for stripes on stripes. Go for the runway-popular black and white look paired with a sharp red lip for an instant ensemble.
To put even more of a masculine edge in your closet, this season is all about the suit gone short. Mixing up your nighttime ensemble has never been easier thanks to suits that incorporate shorts rather than pants. Ease into this trend by donning the shorts by day and adding the matching jacket for a night out.
If you gravitate towards more feminine trends, then spring is your time to shine. With warmer weather approaching, sheer details and cutouts are back. A great way of showing a little skin without being too revealing, try sheer sleeves for daytime and sheer panels for night. To take it to the next level, go with intricate cutouts on a skirt or a dress, a trend that popped up consistently during NYFW.
To embrace the feminine side of spring, in a more unexpected way than florals, try out the ruffle trend that swept the runways. From skirts to necklines, ruffles and origami-like folds are adding new dimension to any outfit this season. If you happen to like non-sparkly embellishments, this is a fresh take on adding a little extra to your ensemble.
Whether you’re all about raiding your boyfriend’s closet or stick strictly to girly shapes, there’s something for everyone this season. Remember, spring is the time to try new trends and embrace what works for your style!
This Thursday: A Very Stylish Girls’ Night Out
Feb 19th
Want to incorporate 2013’s latest trends into your wardrobe but don’t know where to start?
STA is here to help you get the look! Whether you’re hoping to break out of your fashion comfort zone by adding some sheer to your closet, or simply looking to up your stripe game – we’ve got you covered!
Join us at any (or all!) of our locations on Thursday, February 21st from 4pm-8pm for champagne, cupcakes and 20% off this season’s must have pieces. Shop our customized racks or just browse your favorite designers while sipping in style!
ALL LOCATIONS
Red Carpet Rundown: Sparkle and Edge at KAUFMANFRANCO
Feb 17th
Front Row Included: Ashley Greene, Maggie Grace, June Ambrose, Joanna Coles, Jane Krakowski (not surprising since she wore the designer to the recent SAG Awards)
Number of Looks: 38
Stand-Outs: Fringed silver sequin dresses, streamlined gowns, dark neutral leather and fur pairings
This was another show with its finger on the pulse of awards season. Always seen on the red carpet, this runway didn’t disappoint with a healthy mix of sparkle and edge. The full-length gowns were accented with cut-outs, sheer panels, feathers, and – my favorite – sequined silver fringe. Fingers crossed that the front row ladies were scoping out their next awards ensemble!
While the gowns were certainly the finale stars of the show, the luxe leather and fur accents gave this show wearable substance. Playing off a palette of neutrals, the designer used luxurious textures and a touch of sparkle to supplement the rich use of earth tones. A few notable looks included brown fur jackets mixed with either a miniskirt or skin-tight leather leggings (of which Joanna Coles, Editor-In-Chief of Cosmopolitan and former EIC of Marie Claire, was spotted snapping multiple photos).
Moral of this story? Stock up on dark neutrals in exotic textures as a sure-fire way to shine this fall.
~Ashley, FashioniSTA