London Calling

LONDON CALLING

TOPSHOP Comes to NYC April 2nd !

(Celeb-studded Grand Opening April 1st)

Broadway and Broome

The British are coming! The British are coming! ... and they're bringing their high-end style at middle-of-the road prices as TOPSHOP opens its doors to New Yorkers! Hailed by the Brits as the place to go for the latest trends without breaking the bank, the iconic store has finally made the move across the pond. Much like, H&M - the recessionista's shopping paradise (!) - TOPSHOP originated in London and, after years of anticipation and envy from the American purchasing public, the first store is opening in the continental USA. Though you won't find dirt cheap prices like those of H&M or Forever 21 you will find clothes even the rich and famous are wearing, as well as an ample shoe department! Also, unlike H&M, if you find something you like in the store but they don't have your size, you can go online to find it - and perhaps get inspired to add a few more things to your cyber "shopping cart".

Topshop has it all - from trousers, to knickers, to jumpers and everything in between!

While you're there (at the shop or online), be sure to check out the ever-fabulous clothes of Kate Moss' line for TOPSHOP! Bonus: The cheeky fashion mogul is said to make an appearance at the NYC location April 2nd to cut the ribbon for the store opening! Blimey!

AND, to celebrate the opening, TOPSHOP is offering free pampering, from hair to makeup to manicures - just be sure to sign up, I am predicting long lines for everything from complimentary services, to dressing rooms, to registers! In addition, sign up for a free meeting with a style advisor and get to sample a scone (British pastry)! PLUS: in-store DJ's like James Murphy, Justin D, the Whip! Also scheduled to appear: Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, and Santigold for the grand opening on April 1st!

Last but not least, don't hesitate to stop by any Topshop van you may see around the city! The people inside are giving out gift bags with magazines, waters, coupons, AND a mystery gift certificate to be redeemed on opening day only that may be worth up to $500!

In short, Topshop is here, and there's nothing dodgy about it! Cheerio!

Peace and Love,

la bohémienne

Cleaning Out My Closet

Go in with a zen mindset and the knowledge that you will probably have to rummage to find the good stuff...if you can manage that, then Beacon's Closet is a great place to buy and sell used clothes

Finally Saturday morning! Being the busy city girl I am, I haven't gotten a full night's sleep in literally weeks, so I would normally relish in spending the day under the covers. However, my inner flower child convinced me that I couldn't stand being inside all day when the clouds were finally letting the sunshine in. So - admittedly reluctantly - I slid out of bed and attempted to find some way to take advantage of the warm weather. Now, one thing you should know is that I am obsessed with the fashion of the '60's and '70's, and constantly on the prowl for good vintage stores - it has truly become a personal quest! So when my friend Paige told me she wanted to walk around Williamsburg and sell some of her clothes to a vintage store there, I got ready ASAP. She lead the way to Beacon's Closet, a store that buys and sells gently worn clothes, shoes, and accessories; pretty much a used clothing department store. It is the first place I have found in this city that has real vintage pieces, a hipster attitude (though doesn't everything in Williamsburg!) and a reasonable price range! Word to the weary though, it is a little overwhelming and definitely requires some patient sifting! On this particular day, I managed to make it to the other side of the bridge caffeine free, so I had neither the concentration, nor the energy to dig through the millions of racks - arranged by color - in this free-for-all warehouse. This is not the type of establishment one goes to to find that vintage Dior suit, but rather those '80's Clash t-shirts and retro leather boots. Of course, on top of that is the endless amounts of junk to go through to get to the gems. When you do find one though, the work is so worth it! I got some kind of karmic reward today and stumbled upon this adorable bell-sleeved Betsy Johnson dress in flower-printed blue silk! At $45 it was a complete steal, so with Paige's blessing I dug through my wallet to summon the cash for my new boho-chic wardrobe addition. I clutched the dress in my hand while I waited for Paige to retrieve the money she had gotten for her clothes - $25 which is a nice chunk of change considering they didn't even take everything! Paige donated the clothes not bought by Beacon's to charity (how generous!), and I paid and left with my new BJ sheath in the Beacon's Closet pink, grocery store style bag - no frills, no fuss ... now all I need is the perfect pair of shoes to wear with it...wish me luck!

88 N 11 street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718)486-0816

Peace and Love,

la bohémienne