Brooklyn Boutiques! Bedford Binge. I loves me some retail therapy

After a long and grueling work week, nothing lifts my spirits more than a lovely shopping jaunt.  I haven't shopped Williamsburg, BK in a while, so I decided to revisit some of my favorite boutiques.
I hopped on the Brooklyn bound L train and got off at the first stop over the Manhattan/Brooklyn border: Bedford Ave. This street is an artistic central: full of young hipsters and fancy up and comers.  Bedford Ave is jam packed with restaurants and shops galore.

And so much character! 

Here is my shopping binge. Enjoy!

1. I do not have the certain panache to pull off vintage duds. Hats off to those Brooklynites who can wear a 1970's faded out shirt and look chic.  However, if you are into vintage, you must check out Amarcord.  They have a range of inspirational pieces from vintage fashion houses.  The store owners shop for their garments in Italy.

2. Brooklyn Charm is addictive and I want everything in there. It is a create your own charm bracelet/ necklace, whoosewhatsit store, where you can spend HOURS looking at chains, quirky charms, and more.  Then, when you have finally selected your pieces, you can pay to have them assembled or you can buy tools to DIY.  They also offer on-the-spot engraving. Perfect for a customized locket/ trinket.

I was especially excited to overhear the shop workers talking about Legends of the Hidden Temple, the Nickelodeon 90's game show that seems to have touched all of our hearts. Purple Parrots, Blue Barracudas, and trying to put together that 3 piece monkey puzzle. Classic.

charms of the 50 states in their proper places

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. I love pretty prints.  If you are like me, you will love PEMA New York. They have a large variety of lightweight fabrics in fun prints in dresses, tops, skirts and blouses.   They also have some great inexpensive jewery. Oh, did I mention dresses are only $50? Well worth the trip!  The dresses were so popular, I couldn't even get a dressing room to try them on! Hope they fit!

 4. PEACHFROG A Williamsburg newcomer that boasts perma-sale prices. Well I was able to pick up some sweet oversized fashion tops for a steal.  They sell commissioned work from local designers, and offer a range of styles to suit anyone's fancy. Def. worth a look! Also, the staff is friendly, and the beats they play are super fun.

5. ID:  Yowza- the ultimate "If I was a guy, I'd shop here" store. They carry Scotch & Soda denim as well as WESC and an array of unique denim brands. Droolworthy men's washes folks. Also, the have some of the finest tops, most interesting shorts, and some sweet textured trousers.  Take your BF shopping, ladies!

 

6. MiniMarket: 

Super cute women's clothing and accessories store.  They had so many cute dresses, tops and tees, it was hard to exercise enough will power to leave empty handed! In the past, I got a ring there with a picture of a squirrel on it.  They also sell highlighter lighters. Pretty out there. And plenty of NEON backpacks! Yeah buddy!

7. Beacon's Closet

Where you can buy/sell/ trade clothes! What a treasure hunt: a warehouse sized vintage shop, in which the clothing racks are organized by color. Set aside a few hours to really scour this place and you will be AMAZED at what you find!

Well, I hope I have whet your appetite. Go out there and SHOP!

Brand Crush: Bailey 44

I recently bought a semi mini skirt at Saks Off Fifth, by the brand: Bailey 44.  The skirt is a slinky number that is casual enough for day, but can easily be converted into a night look.  The fit is forgiving and the stretch knit hugs in all the right places.

Bailey 44 is a Made in the USA brand based out of California.  Their product is understated chic, and their pieces are my dream wardrobe.  Right now, large department stores such as Bloomingdales and Nordstroms are having huge sales to clear out space for fall merchandise, so now is the time to buy!

Check out my top picks:

Stoked Mini Skirt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desi Dress

Is Bacon the new Mustache?

Bacon is a food that is delicious with anything.  What better affirmation for that than the event I attended on Saturday: the first annual Bacon Bash.   This was an event in which seven different food vendors offered tastings of sweet and savory bacon treats.

However, today, while out shopping in my favorite East Village quirkeries, I discovered that bacon also goes well with kitsch!

What's Shakin', Bacon? Bacon Alarm Clock- shakes to wake: (found this at Alphabets on 7th st and Ave A.)

Bacon flavored dental floss (found at Exit 9, on 3rd st and Ave A):

 

And of course, who can resist Bendable Mr. Bacon? Can't get enough? Check out the bacon themed page on Archie McPhee.com

What WILL they THINK of next??!!

Mae Linnaea- Leather Bags- hand made

I am blown away by my Mae Linnaea handbag, made by my best friend from college! She started her own business and is just launching amazing quality handcrafted leather handbags and clutches.  All products are made with limited supply materials to guarantee a truly one-of-a kind product.  Mae uses a combination of leather, interior fabrics and laces, as well as an eclectic mix of trims.

You can check out her website and purchase clutches and leather hobos on ETSY.  See below for my OBSESSION. So happy I got this bag. I  know it will last forever because of Mae's expertise and attention to detail.  What a great investment!


I love the braided strap and the two way zipper. Also, the bag is lightweight when empty, so I know it will be easy on my shoulder.

BARNEYS 60% OFF SALE- IN STORE & ONLINE

Jaw dropping, credit card itcing to be used.  Gotta do it! Barneys 60% off?! Hell yeah.

Sofia Vergara for KMART- OOC

Out of Control! Sofia Vergara for K-mart.  Sexy, confidence boosting clothing for ridiculously affordable prices.


$22 Tangerine draped dress

 

$15 "Cold Shoulder" top

$15 Swimwear Separates

 

 

MINT Condition

Trend Alert: Mint- Ooh how refreshing!

Pinterest is full of Mint!

Get some goodies at Kohls.com- Lauren Conrad-

Mint Shorts!

I Heart Rebeca Minkoff- yay Saks Off Fifth

I got a lovely surprise on the way home from Saratoga today... a pit stop at Woodbury Commons, premium outlets, aka heaven.

I had less than an hour to scavange Saks Off Fifth, and I found the most amazing wallet. It is by Rebecca Minkoff.  Soft sumptuous leather, bright orange exterior, and royal blue with black polka dot lining! What more could a girl ask for?!  Oh yeah, it was on sale. :)

Plus the brand is so inspirational. I am gonna follow the blog: Minkette.com. Many cute, inspirational images.

Blog Crush: Quarterlette.com

My business savvy, motivated friend Rachel was published on Quarterlette.com.  This website is about young ladies navigating through their twentysomethings/ thirtysomethings. Read Rachel's article about building her brand Nona E Rose.  It is very inspirational.

Finally, a forum for women who have literally had a quarter life crisis and want to share!  This website is an upbeat and fun way to look at the challenges of growing up in this crazy world we live in. It is full of motivational tales from real people, a career coach, and a financial planner!  I love the spirit of camaraderie that it fosters.

For me, my twenties has been about growing up and growing into the person that I want to be.  It is about realizing that life in NYC much more closely resembles HBO's GIRLS, and not Sex and the City.  Great show by the way, and totally speaks to ladies of a certain age, especially because it is written by the 26 year old star, Lena Dunham.  Lena is a rockstar who's boldness and success I admire greatly.

DVF SAMPLE SALE- and other amazing things.

To make up for my lack of blogging this week, here are my top 5 awesome things that I've been thinking about:

1. DVF SAMPLE SALE. I went once. They are AMAHZING. GO! JUNE 5-9. Click this link to get early access (June 4th shopping!!!) Oh wait, and if you work all the time and can't go to the sale, it has A WEBSITE. SICK!!! dvfsamplesale.com

Oh DVF, you slay me.

2. Barbie Shoe Necklace. (fab.com)

3. TOMS WEDGES. So comfy, and such a great cause. You buy a pair of shoes, and a kid across the world gets a pair of shoes. Feel great about shopping. yay.

4.  Neon Jeans

 5. Neon Trees- EVERYBODY TALKS.