Category: clothing

LF Stores

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, jewelry shop, new music, playlists, shoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LF Stores are a staple for fashion-loving girls in Los Angeles, New York, and Florida.  Now, New Orleans residents can find West and East Coast fashion at their doorstep.  LF features Europeans brands with many items exclusive to the store.  You can also find denim brought in from Los Angeles and Jeffrey Campbell brand shoes.

It took me a long time to finally force myself to exit the store.  Their leather jackets are to die for, and their Italian shoes made my ol’ combat boots quite green with envy.  On top of leather goods, LF has a variety of jewelry (such as Native American and religious-inspired pieces), as well as knitted scarves, large-brimmed hats, and tastefully-studded belts.

With such killer clothes, you’ll need a killer mix of dark wave and other chilly electronic beats with sexy vocals to  accompany your sexy threads.  While shopping, you can play this mix that will make it damn hard to leave (see previous paragraph).  If you’re not trend-savvy, the expertly-dressed associates are there to help you sort out a stunning ensemble, whether for the street or the stage.  Grab a latte from CC’s across the street, and spend a few hours there.  You’ll thank me later!

1. Austra- Believe Me
2. Zola Jesus- Vessel
3. Neon Indian- Polish Girl
4. Grimes- Vanessa
5. Blondes- Spanish Fly
6. Glasser- Home
7. Craft Spells- Given The Time
8. Cults- Abducted
9. Class Actress- Journal Of Ardency

LF
5408 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70118

Taxi Taxi

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, eco-friendly clothing, new music, playlists, shoes

If Houston (the Bayou City) has anything to offer fashion-wise it will be found in the Montrose area.  Home to hipsters and artsy fartsy folks alike, Montrose is the place to go for thrift stores and kitsch collectibles.

To make Taxi Taxi the ultimate hipster paradise, I’ve created a mix that includes some of the best current synth wave and indie pop there is to offer.  Don’t be ashamed to admit it.  I’m a bit of a sceney weenie too.  So we look awesome in skinny washed out black jeans and spend a little too much time on our makeup and hair (boy and girls equally).  Who the hell cares!  The 10-song compilation is guaranteed to make wannabe and true scenesters alike as happy as Robert Smith is fashionably sad.

1. Empire of the Sun- Standing On The Shore
2. Twin Shadow- At My Heels
3. Angus & Julia Stone- Big Jet Plane
4. Wild Beasts- Bed Of Nails
5. Interpol-  Pioneer To The Falls
6. The Asteroids Galaxy- Lady Jesus
7. Cant- Believe
8. Wild Nothing- Promise
9. Craft Spells- After The Moment
10. Cults- Go Outside

Taxi Taxi

1653 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77006

G-Star Raw

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, jewelry shop, new music, playlists

If you’re the kind of person that gets butterflies when you see an outfit is finely tailored paired with laid-back style, G-Star is the place for you.  The Dutch company was founded in 1989 and marries a polished clothes with casual chic to make a killer combo.

For this playlist, I’ve compiled a mix of chilled out songs with driving beats and a few chart toppers that match the must-have feeling of the company itself.

1. CFCF- Before & After Light
2. Small Black-Photojournalist
3. Crystal Stilts- Shake The Shackles
4. Röyksopp- The Girl & The Robot
5. SBTRKT- Sanctuary (feat. Jessie Ware & Sampha)
6. The Kills- Future Starts Slow
7. Glasser- Mirrorage
8. Phantogram- When I’m Small
9. Little Dragon- Shuffle A Dream
10. The Morning Benders- Excuses

AllSaints Spitalfields

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, new music, playlists

Established in London in the mid-to-late 1990s, AllSaints offers a Gothic look to mainstream 20-somethings and exceptionally well-dressed children (yes, children).  Intricately woven goods channel the Victorian era with color schemes strictly confined to greys, blacks, and other muted colors.  The neutral hues focus the viewer’s eyes on the quality of the cloth as well as its design.  In doing so, AllSaints successfully built a devoted customer base that excite (though you might not know it from their withheld facial expressions) over quiet triumphs rather than bold statement pieces.

Recently, the company began a Basement Sessions project, which features artists/musicians that fit the AllSaints mold.  Online shoppers don’t miss out on the great in-store music, because their site comes complete with a radio player (and free shipping!).

To suit the AllSaints enthusiast, we’ve compiled a playlist to accompany dress-up time at home or in shop via iPod 🙂

  1. Twin Shadow “Slow”
  2. Wild Beasts “Bed of Nails”
  3. When Saints Go Machine “You Or The Gang”
  4. Crystal Fighters “Xtatic Truth”
  5. Warpaint “Lissie’s Hear Murmur”
  6. The Veils “Calliope!”
  7. Telekinesis “Please Ask For Help”
  8. Austra “Lost It”
  9. The Duke Spirit “Lion Rip”
  10. Lykki Li “Youth Knows No Pain”
  11. The Antlers “Parentheses”
  12. St. Vincent “Year of the Tiger”
  13. James Blake “The Wilhelm Scream”

Music Branding

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, jewelry shop, new music, shoes

Gypsy Switch is switching gears: we’ll be doing music branding for stores.  No idea what music branding is?  Have you ever gone into a retail store and wondered where it got the rad music that’s pounding in your head hours after you’ve gone?  Music branding is the sonic form of a brand’s identity.  We’ll be starting in Covent Garden in London on and around Neal St.  Covent Garden is home to some of the trendiest stores.  Stay tuned for the 1st playlist for one of my absolute favorite stores: All Saints Spitalfields.

Fossil

Posted on by verichmond in clothing, shoes, watches

Around the holidays, one can’t help avoiding the dreaded word “mall.”  Luckily, I’ve found a unique store that you can find in the convenient indoor location of your local shopping center.  Tom Kartsotis, founder of Fossil, began selling and importing fashionable timepieces in the Dallas area in 1984.  He and his soon-to-be-wife, Lynne Stafford, designed the watches based on retro styles of the 1930s-1950s.

Today, Fossil sells not only watches, but wallets, handbags, and money-clips.  Select stores (such as the Lakeside store in New Orleans) feature apparel and shoes.  The Fossil name is synonymous with quality; with watches holding an 11-year warranty, as well as handbags and even shoes offering a one-year warranty.  I know that if I buy something from Fossil, it’s build to last.  Not only are there products durable, but they also meld trendy, modern styles with timeless vintage flair.  You’re guaranteed to have a unique but fashionable look, no matter what.

Fossil New Orleans
Lakeside Shopping Center
3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70002

 

Get Truckin’

Posted on by verichmond in clothing

Following a lead from bridge.town.low.down blogger  Cameron Clowers, I moseyed on over to Truck Stop.  In an old, industrial building next-door to Stein’s Deli, J.R. Fields established his shop.  After a short 5 months in town, Truck Stop is moving along successfully.  Complete with vintage pump signage and bar seating, the store molds gasoline glamour and Southern wear  into a style that Fields calls “Classic Americana.”

The store is 90% vintage, with the remaining 10 going to new western shirts, select tees (from Bandit Brand and Horse & Bird),  kids clothes, and FRYE boots.  J.R.’s Truck Stop can boast the largest collection of true vintage sportswear, including biker jackets, suede blazers, and much more.  Married to the charming owner of Trashy Diva, Fields decided that going to Austin for stylish duds was getting tiresome.  He brought a bit of the Southwest flair to the Crescent City and the traffic flow is a sure sign that New Orleans can’t get enough.

Are you looking for a branded vintage belt or a pearl-snap button down? Look no further.  If you want to take a seat at the bar and have a soda out of an old-fashioned bottle while your woman tries on a holster and an “If You Ain’t Country, You Ain’t Shit” shirt, then this is the place for you!  If this doesn’t sell you, then the moose head smiling over the cash register is sure to change your mind.

Truck Stop
2209 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
Monday-Sunday 12-6pm

Hemline Hits Just Right

Posted on by verichmond in clothing

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, after having brunch in the French Quarter, I decided to take a little stroll around the worn streets and explore some new shops.  One of my favorite finds was Hemline, a great store for trendy outfits with a range of different price points.

With their first store opening in the Quarter 16 years ago, Brigitte & Luciano Holthausen have since established 10 other locations in the South/Midwest, including Nashville and Houston. In addition they offer convenient online shopping.

The Chartres store offers a wide array of great labels, ranging from Free People and French Connection to Cynthia Steffe and DDF. Hemline also has a great selection of designer denim like Miss Me and Seven For All Mankind, as well as shoes, belts, and jewelry.

What I find to be the best part about Hemline is the variance in price points. As one associate put it, “There’s something for everybody.” I was able to find attractive, unique items that could be bought either with a blank check or a budget.

Taking leisurely Sunday strolls in the Quarter definitely paid off! My next few blogs will feature shops set in the heart of the city. Come back next time to discover: LUSH.

Hemline Chartres
609 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70130


Other Locations

Relax with Jean Therapy

Posted on by verichmond in clothing

Right around fall, the anticipation of the holidays (and midterms, if you’re a student like me) do a number on your nerves. A little therapeutic shopping always manages to calm me down, and what better-suited name could a store have than Jean Therapy.

Locally, the name is associated with quality, designer jeans that range from skinny and light to dark and dirty. However, Jean Therapy offers a whole hell of a lot more than sexy denim (and they do have some very, very sexy denim).

Brother and sister duo Steven and Vicky are veterans of the jean business. Their family owned a string of “The Jean Scene” boutiques in the Crescent City and the two grew up helping out around shop.

Vicky noticed that traveling to LA and New York for good clothes was beginning to become tiresome. Why not bring fashion to New Orleans? In 2002, after “a sign from above” and a space on Magazine St. became available, the Adjmi siblings opened their first of four adult Jean Therapy stores.

Some of their most highly-coveted brands are Hudson, J Brand, Joe’s, Citizen for Humanity, and 7 For All Mankind. They also have a great collection of sunglasses, jewelry, and killer belts and boots (I’m going back for those on payday). Combining delicate, flowing tops with street-wise edgy pieces, you’re bound to find something that fits your wandering spirit just right.

Store Locations:
Uptown [map]:
5505 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
Phone: (504) 897-5535

French Quarter/Downtown [map]:
The Shops at Canal Place
333 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: (504) 558-3966

Metairie [map]:
Lakeside Shopping Center
3301 Veterans Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70002
Phone: (504) 833-6144

Baton Rouge [map]:
Mall of Louisiana
6401 Bluebonnet Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70836
Phone: (225) 767-0975