Posts tagged seven for all mankind

Perfect Pairings: American Woman

Becoming a sophisticated style or wine connoisseur takes a lot of practice, so we figured we’d tackle both specialties with our weekly Boston Fashion Week perfect pairing. For those of you fashioniSTAs who attended our Boston Fashion Week show and our shopping after-party at the 176 Newbury Street store, then you were lucky enough to try the newest wine selections from 90+ Cellars. If you missed our show at The Tent, we’ll bring you the exclusive looks from the runway, and if you’re lucky they may still be available at our 176 Newbury Street location.

This week’s perfect pairing is our edgy, American runway look with 90+ Cellars’ Lot 40 Chardonnay. This wine - which was one of the bottles poured at our after-party - is a classic, polished, yet bold American selection. It’s match? The leather inspired texture of this Diesel dress, which brings the edge to the all-American Seven For All Mankind jeggings. For some modern embellishment, these Isabel Marant boots silver chain and tassel detail are just the ticket. The perfect amount of American icon with a splash of boldness.

Summer Your Style With These Easy Tips!

The warm weather has finally arrived, ok, more like almost arrived, but we’ll take what we can!  And we really can’t think of a better way to spend these warmer days then out shopping for a new spring wardrobe.  But where to start?

Flower Power

The 70s are back ladies.  It looks like it’s time to start digging through your mom’s old clothes, not to mention the racks at STA.  High wasted flares, over-sized sunglasses (when were they ever out?), cropped tops, wedges, flowery tops, the choices are endless and can be a little overwhelming for us stuck in skinny jean limbo.   To gradually incorporate the look in your wardrobe start with a nice pair of high wasted flared jeans paired with a simple tucked in white t-shirt or lightweight sweater, add a layered necklace and some wedges, and you instantly have a causally chic, put-together look.

Orange You Glad It’s Summer?

Every window display we’ve been passing seems to be trying to us one thing – get your orange on!  And, lucky for us any shad will do - peach, coral, light pink - take your pick.  To avoid looking like a pumpkin, pair a light, peachier shade with skinny black jeans and a pair of hot black pumps.  For more of a nautical look, try a coral top tucked into high wasted white flared pants (top, Topshop; jeans, Seven for all Mankind).  Or for a preppy look, match a top in a lighter, pinkish shade of orange with a brown cardigan, cropped jeans and a cute pair of flats.

Buh Bye Blue Jeans

Blue jeans are great, but it’s spring so try a colored pair of pants to spruce up your look.  If you’re feeling bold grab a bright color like teal or red but if you’re feeling more subdued go for pastel with lavender or beige.  Most of the colored jeans out there come in cropped and ankle cut styles which make even the brightest of brights seem a little less overpowering and more wearable.   Pair with a simple top and some wedges and you’re ready for a night out or with a loose button-down and some slip on sneaks for a day of eating and shopping.

~Kristen, Second Time Around

MODERNIZING VINTAGE: Select Your Style!

If you follow fashion trends, you may have already figured out that one secret to staying current is simply identifying styles from the past and wearing them in new ways.

Retro is the new modern, and there’s no better way to dress vintage than by wearing the real thing. “Vintage” is usually defined by the era of 1940 to 1980 — earlier than 1940 would be considered “antique” clothing. While today’s designers often reproduce looks from the past with a few modern twists, there’s a certain satisfaction in wearing an authentic vintage dress, skirt or sweater. It gives you a fashionable flair and is always a conversation-starter.

But pulling it off isn’t always the easiest. However, if you follow a few key guidelines, it can become as effortless as throwing on your old pair of jeans.

The most important thing to keep in mind is this: modernize it, don’t relive it. Head-to-toe vintage can look too much like a costume, so blending yesteryear with today is key. Use a sweater or skirt with items you already have. Mix and match new with old to create a style all your own! You want to look reminiscent of days gone by, not like you’re on your way to a theme party. Which leads us to our first tip…

TIP #1 – Keep it Simple

Do not try to put together a whole vintage outfit, top-to-bottom. If the vintage piece you’re incorporating is loud or flashy, make it your accent piece and make sure the rest of your ensemble is understated. If your main garment is vintage, be sure accentuate the ensemble with more modern pieces. Pair a vintage neck-tie blouse with skinny jeans and flats. Wear a 50’s shirt dress with new patent leather pumps. The opposite works just as well; feel free to use a touch of vintage (scarves, jewelry, a fun jacket) to gussy up an otherwise regular outfit.

Below look: Shirt: 70s Vintage — $19 / Tank: Eileen Fisher — $25 / Denim: Seven for All Mankind — $59 / Shoes: Arturo Chiang — $29 / Bag: Longchamp — $79

TIP #2 – Mix Period Styles Together

Think about the style you are trying to achieve. Do you like the sleek sophistication of the 1920s-30s or “New Look” clothing from the ’40s and ’50s? Does your taste run toward mod 60s miniskirts or flowing hippie 70s styles? Or is it more 1980s, with big shoulder pads and high-waisted pants? Whatever your preferred style, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to blend the fashion timelines together. Styles have overlapped through the eras much like they do today, and combining elements from the decades will help to achieve a look that is all your own.

Below look: Cardigan: J. Crew — $29 / Tee: Three Dot — $25 / Skirt: 60s Vintage — $19 / Shoe: Stephane Verdino — $79 / Bag: 80s Vintage Anne Klein for Calderon clutch — $19

TIP #3 — Become a DIY Designer

As the decades changed, so did our culture’s eye for acceptable hemlines, necklines, and forms. The result? Many great vintage finds are passed over on the rack, deemed to “matronly” or too “boxy”. What to do? Alter it. Tailor that “piece with potential” to give it a contemporary fit. A long dress that looks dowdy at mid-calf length can be easily hemmed into a mini dress. Remove outdated shoulder pads and replace tacky buttons with new ones for an instant makeover. Add a few darts to give that sheath a new shape, and take the scissors to those bell sleeves to create a shorter cap.

Some vintage purists hate alterations, arguing that any modification to these relics results in them being rendered worthless — it would be like painting over a Picasso. This is a valid debate, and it’s worth pointing out that any items of high original retail or cultural value are best left in their original state. However, there are many vintage items on the market that were mass produced at very low cost in their heyday and are worth nothing more to history other than a sense of nostalgia — like that H&M sweater you might find at the back of your closet in twenty years. So do a little research into your pieces before putting your sewing skills to work. Then it’s time to get creative!

Below look: Jacket: Arden B. leather — $49 / Dress: 70s vintage — $25 / Shoes: Stephane Verdino — $79

TIP #4 – Fun First! Fashion follows.

This tip especially applies to your vintage choices. We here at Second Time Around truly believe that if you feel good, it shows. Confidence is the key in pulling off any style, so be sure to find the right look for your comfort zone. Whether your final ensemble is understated or bold, you will be well on your way to staying ahead of the curve… by following trends of the past!

Below look: Cardigan: 80s Vintage Adrienne Vittadini from Bergdorf Goodman — $39 / Denim: Marc Jacobs — $69 / Shoes: DKNY — $69 / Bag: Gucci — $109

~Kim, Store Manager, Second Time Around Harvard Square

A Denim Review: Part I

Seven for All Mankind

During my time at Second Time Around, I have exploited my employee discount to the max. As a result, I have owned almost every single brand of premium denim and numerous styles within certain, favored brands. Some pairs have come straight back to the store after one wear due to an ill fit of either my body or my style, some have earned a temporary place in my closet while I experimented with a particular trend and some have earned a permanent place in both my closet and my heart as a denim match-made-in-heaven.

Due to this extensive fit-testing and the additional research that I have done as a stylist for my clients (help with jean shopping is the number one request that I receive…) I feel confident that I can give both an impartial and informative review of the major premium denim brands. So, here goes…

1. Seven for all Mankind

Arguably one of the first - if not THE first – premium denim label to rise to prominence, Seven for all Mankind, affectionately referred to simply as “Seven” by its fans, has been a consistent contributing member of the designer denim phenomena. I view them as the old stand-by – that reliable brand that you can always return to. They follow the trends, but are never too trendy, allowing their customers a chance to look stylish and hip without being fashion road-kill. Perhaps the only complaint that someone could have is that their fit is a bit on the narrow side, prohibiting curvier women from enjoying what they have to offer.

2. Citizens of Humanity

Created by Jerome Dahan, the same designer who launched Seven for all Mankind, I consider this brand a more casual version of the “Seven” brand. They are the perfect weekend jean to throw on with a t-shirt and sneakers and they offer a better fit for those ladies with a curvier figure.

Citizens of Humanity

3. J Brand

A favorite of both models and celebrities, J Brand wrote the book on skinny jeans. Whether you are looking for a stove-pipe leg, a pencil leg or a “jegging,” the brand you want is J Brand. As an added bonus, I think that their jeans have the most authentic and pleasing raw denim color and they have teamed up with the makers of Lycra to inject their denim with the comfort of stretch without the annoyance of a saggy bottom.

Check back soon to read more denim reviews and to find out my favorite lesser-known denim labels as well as my suggestions for denim brands to watch…

~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around

J Brand