Blog: Crossroads Style

The Stylish Men We Love

May 24, 2013 by gina Leave a Comment

Well we just couldn’t celebrate Man Month around here without some serious discussion about the men who have locked in signature styles that we love. Their styles may vary, but they carry them so well. So without further do, may I present: our shortlist.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

There are still times when I ask myself, is this really the kid from that show about aliens? His style is so evolved: a balance of classic and fun. Mostly, you can tell he really cares about fashion. Gotta love that.

- Gina, Marketing & Communications Manager

Jamie Hince

This member of the The Kills’ is not only married to a fashion icon (Kate Moss), he also has amazing style himself. Jamie has the best understanding of layering and mixing neutrals. His style is modern with a slight disheveled edge. Now that is one dapper rocker.

- Jason, Buying Department Assistant

Wayne Coyne

Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips combines my love of a man in a suit with a unique rough-around-the-edges kind of style.

-Orion, Corporate Buyer

Pharrell Williams (2 Office Favorites and Our Big Winner)

Pharrell Williams remains on the cutting edge of both music and fashion, and whether rocking a street style or more gentlemanly attire, he is always dressed with flair and creativity. Mixing bold colors, patterns and using key accessories like scarves, sunglasses and watches, Pharrell always stands out in the crowd.

-Kathy, Advertising Manager

As ½ of the duo production team Neptunes, Pharrell has stolen the spotlight ever since he burst onto the music scene with his skateboard-chic style. Always the risk taker, I love Pharrell’s style because he stays true to who he is and consistently finds ways to work the most unworkable looks. He is a true individual when it comes to his music and his style, and I am a fan of both!

-Erinn, Communications Coordinator

Photo Credits: Lovelyish, Zimbio, My Chemical Romance, Vogue.

Filed Under: Featured Post, Men's

Men In Suits and Glasses

May 23, 2013 by gina Leave a Comment

Our Current Man Month promotion has us thinking a lot about men and style. When I recently asked my colleagues to share their favorite stylish men, our corporate buyer, Samantha, couldn’t narrow it down to just one. But she could narrow her favorites down to two particular pieces: suits and glasses.

Her reasoning:

“For me, it is almost impossible to remove the man from his style. But while pondering what makes a man stylish today, I learned a little something about myself. For me, men’s style comes down to the following equation: Men + Suits + Glasses = Swoon.

”Zachary Quinto, Jason Schwartzman and Jeff Goldblum (yes, Jeff Goldblum) all don that Mad Men style I love. Peeping out from behind those glasses are mysterious full-browed men who scream style to me. So there you have it. Here are three men who make me want to dash to the closet, throw on that perfect cocktail dress, and run out for a night on the town on their well-suited arm.”

Photo credits: Comic Book Resources, Fan Pop, Scream Queen B

Filed Under: Featured Post, Men's

Items of the Week: Santa Barbara

May 20, 2013 by gina Leave a Comment

I frequently make the drive from LA to SF, and over the years I have developed a list of favorite stops along the way. Santa Barbara is on the shortlist , of course. The term California Riviera is no joke there. The views of the ocean make highway driving seem downright pleasant. And when I see some of the latest pieces on the racks of our downtown Santa Barbara store, I’m ready to book that next conference/vacation/shopping excursion right now.

Sam is wearing: Top by Kimichi Blue, size XS, $8.50; Pants by Anthropologie, size Small, $16.50; Shoes by Aldo, Size 7.5, $15.00; Necklace, $10.50; Ring, $9.50

Sam is wearing: Jacket by J Brand, size XS, $25; Romper by Feather & Bone, size XS, $13.50; Boots by H by Hudson, size 38, $130; Belt, $12.50; Necklace, $10.50

Casey is wearing: Jacket by True Religion, size XXL, $400; Shirt by Diesel, size XL, $12.50; Jeans by NEUW, size 36, $27.50; Shoes by Red Wing, size 10, $120

Filed Under: Items of the Week

Closet Refresh: New Summer Gear

May 17, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Things that are fabulous:

1. Audrey Hepburn.
2. Our virtual shoe closet.
3. $2000 cash-money.
4. Big beautiful hair.
5. Holidays in Ibiza.
6. Boxes heading to Crossroads stores right now.

Some of the things on our fabulous list are unattainable – being Audrey Hepburn, for example – and some are more attainable. For example, if you win our photo contest, you could use the prize money for that holiday in Ibiza…or you could just find your latest trade card and refresh your entire wardrobe with the pretties we sent out this week.

We think every week is a good week at Crossroads, of course, but this week was particularly summer-friendly and fresh. Ahead, check out our favorite items that will be available at select Crossroads stores in a few days.

Dress $48.50, Skirt $27.50Assorted summer scarves, $13.50 each, Necklace $13.50 Assorted summer scarves, $13.50 each, Necklace, $16.50 Pants, $30, Elephant print top, $28.50, Skirt, $35 Florentine tunic dress $27.50, Parisian maxi skirt $40

Filed Under: Dresses, Jewelry, Separates

Trend Spotting: Mint

May 16, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Shorts? Check. Sandals? Check. Tanks? Check. Tan? Time to get it on.

From the looks of it, it seems like you’re ready for some fun this summer! The only thing is, though your activities may be fun, your closet might be less than so – shorts and tanks can get a little boring. When the weather heats up, it’s hard to be creative with your clothes, and while it’s true that you don’t need to be the best dressed dame on the boardwalk to have a good day, taking dressing as an art is actually really fun - we know because we do it everyday here at the Crossroads Trading headquarters.

So what’s the solution? If you’re unwilling to leave your standard summer uniform, we say experiment with prints and colors. And while the color mint isn’t exactly minty fresh – we were talking about it almost two years ago – we still absolutely love it. Soft, a little sassy, cool and refreshing like a pack of Capri Suns, add mint to your closet mix. One piece, like a pair of jeans, goes a long, long way. mint tank mint

Images via Zanita, the Sartorialist, Pinterest (source unknown), Style Within Reach, Atlantic Pacific, Tuula

Filed Under: Trendspotting

Interview: Grasie of Style Me Grasie

May 15, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

We’ve done a lot of blogger interviews here at CTC…but we’ve never interviewed an actress. Or a TV/Online hostess. Or a style expert.

Luckily, today we’re adding all of these kinds of interviews to the list of done and done. Blogger Grasie of Style Me Grasie is all of these things in one – a killer package of talent, if you will. After meeting Grasie via LuckyFABB a few weeks ago, we quickly added interview her! to our to-do list. Not only did her resume pique our interest, but we’re also incredibly excited to be able to share some of her seriously awesome style right here on our own blog. Take a good scroll down and read all about her first fashion memory, what having a title with so many slashes entails and where she’d take you if you were to visit her in LA…if you could be so lucky.
What’s your favorite album?

Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” – It’s an amazing album full of so many hits and its the band that my fiance and I bonded over when we first met. We are HUGE FM fans.

If you had some friends visiting LA from out of town, what would you show them?

I take them to In-N-Out for burgers, Mexican food & margs at El Carmen, sushi at Kiwami in the valley, the beaches in Malibu and to the Grove for some shopping. Some of my favorite places to eat and go to in LA!

When and why did you move from New York to LA? Did it take some time to adjust to your new home?

I moved about 3 years after college. I grew up in NYC and went to NYU. After graduation, I immediately started working in news at ABC then in production at MTV in NY. When I turned 25, I decided to move to LA to pursue acting and TV hosting. I instantly fell in love…NY will always be my roots, but I think I’ll live in LA forever.

Do you have a style icon?

Alexa Chung! I love her. We also have a similar fashion sense. We dress like boys mostly but every once in a while, we are super girly. I would kill for her closet.

Do you have a first memory with clothing? Tell us about it.

I was obsessed with Michael Jackson as a child and got a red leather jacket like the one he wore in “Thriller” and a sequin white glove for Christmas. I wore both of those to death and would dance around my house like I was MJ. That jacket and glove meant everything to me.

How would you describe your style?

A mix of edgy, easy, vintage, urban and girly. It really depends on my mood on any given day. Sometimes I boy it up, sometimes I sex it up, sometimes I girl it up. I like variety but really jeans and a concert tee are my go-to.

You’re the only person we’ve ever interviewed who has a profile on IMDB! Has being an actress and TV hostess affected your blogging journey? How do you balance your life between all of your commitments?

That’s awesome! My TV/Online Hosting and blogging are most connected. Blogging doesn’t really affect my acting but I’ve booked a lot of “Fashion Hosting/Style Expert” on-camera work because of my blog which was kind of why I started blogging in the first place (more on that in the next question). As far as managing…well, I’m the type of gal who LOVES to be busy and loses her mind when she’s bored. The more I have to do, the better. The great thing about having three careers (acting/hosting/blogging) is that I’m never bored and every day is different. My schedule is dependent on whether I have an audition, a shoot, an event or a styling client (I also take on personal styling clients when I can). I’m a very organized person so I manage, but I will admit since my fiance and I got engaged and I had to throw “planning a wedding” into the mix, things have been a little cray-cray at times.

When did you start blogging and what inspired you to get into it?

When I initially started blogging I had no idea how huge the style blogger world was or that it even existed. So for the first year and a half of my blog I didn’t do outfit posts. Then about 2 years ago I discovered that aspect of personal style blogging, got a blog photographer and began the outfit posts journey. That’s when my blog got some legs and awesome, loyal readers. I initially started it as an outlet to talk fashion because I wanted to be seen as a “fashion expert” for my on-camera hosting career. Luckily, it totally worked!

Share some experiences you’ve had that came as a result of blogging.

Oh man, there are so many great things that have come to me because of my blog. The two biggest being my fashion series “Style Me Grasie” on LookTV and my upcoming on-air fashion expert gig in 10 episodes of MTV’s “Girl, Get Your Mind Right,” premiering on May 20th! Both these gigs came to me because of my blog which is still so amazing to me. Also, just last week I was asked to do a fashion segment on the red carpet pre-show of the American Idol finale. It’s going to live stream on their site and I’m going to chat about season 12′s fashion!

What’s your morning dressing routine like? Do you get dressed on a whim or plan outfits out?

It depends. If I need a cute outfit for an audition, I definitely plan ahead so I’m not rushed or stressed before it. But if it’s a regular day, I totally wing it.

Do you have any blogs or reads you’d like to share with our readers?

Absolutely! As a blogger, you get to meet a lot of other bloggers and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the sweetest. I call them my blogger buds and we see each other at events and hang all the time. I love checking out their blogs to see what they’re up and what they’re wearing. Some of my favorites are Could I Have That?, Song of Style, Walk in Wonderland, Damsel in Dior, Devon Rachel, Sydne Style, Natalie Off Duty, Mr. Kate and two of my closest gal pals Stuff She Likes and ClothehorseNYC. I have a lot of blogger buds.

What are your favorite pair of shoes in your closet?

I LOVE SHOES! So this is a super tough question. Hmm, I think the shoes in heaviest rotation right now are my yellow Modern Vice “Jett” boots, my pointed Nine West indigo and black flats and my black Calvin Klein metal and suede pumps.

Sum up your mantra on life. Go!

I’m super into the following cliches that I think keep level-headed and happy. 1. Everything happens for a reason. 2. Treat others as you would like to be treated. 3. Work hard, play harder.

Thank you for your time, Grasie!

Filed Under: Featured Post, Interview

Items of the Week: Pasadena Crossroads

May 14, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Shifting buy seasons is one thing, a mood board is another, but really, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to notice a shift in the weather. Wherever you are, you are certainly getting warmer, and we don’t know about you, but we’ve gotten so used to our muted color palettes and layering, it’s hard to remember how to dress for such stellar temperatures.

Fortunately, our Pasadena team is all for jogging our memories. On another level of style – practically profreshional, if such a word exists – summer dressing is so easy for them, they’re reaching for their shades instead of for the stars. So today, we’re going down to SoCal for some summer outfit inspiration: one for those denim days, two for the ladies who prefer dresses. If you don’t live close enough to stop by and nab some of these sweet get-ups, you can still get pinspired for your next shopping trip, whenever that may be.

ON NATASHA: O’Neil top Size S $10.50, Chloe pants Size 3/4 $47.50, Jeffery Campbell shoes Size 6 1/2 $17.25, Gucci bag $300.00, New necklace $8.25
ON CLARISSA: Bebe dress Size S $37.50, Free Press shoes Size 8 $18.50, Mark Cross bag $225.00, New bracelet $15.00ON BRANDI: Fei dress size M $18.50, Bandolino shoes size 7 1/2 $25.00, Zenith bag $120.00, Oliver Peoples sunglasses $42.50

Filed Under: Featured Post, Items of the Week

Summer Mood Board

May 13, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

So maybe summatime is still a month and more away, but since we started buying for summer today, we can already taste the rainbow (sherbet ice cream) on our lips – that’s how close summer feels. In preparation for any season, we always make a mood board that sums up how we envision the excitement to come – and the style to come. Ahead, we’ve captured the essence of our summer plans and duds…does it match with your own vision? We’re almost there!

Images via Tumblr (no credits), Pinterest (no credits), The Love Hanger, Keiko Lynn, Eva Kolenko, Ashley Herrin, Teen Vogue, Quentin de Briey , Gary Pepper

Filed Under: Featured Post Tagged With: mood board, summer

We Are Now Buying for Summer

May 13, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

As of today, we are now buying for summer! Browse these styles to get a better idea of the types of items and trends our stores are currently seeking. Crossroads Trading Co. is currently buying for summer. If you have additional questions, you can learn more here.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes

Our Top 4 Favorite Male Bloggers

May 10, 2013 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Here at CTC, we’re pretty proud to have been following blogs and talking to bloggers since the beginning of the phenomenon. We think they bridge the gap between magazines and real people, and while we don’t have the facts or stats to back it up, we are pretty sure that people in general are becoming more artful when dressing themselves, and it’s largely thanks to our blogger friends.

The thing is, there’s no avoiding the fact that the vast majority of personal style bloggers are female. Bloggers have definitely democratized fashion, but where’s the male voice? Well, if you haven’t heard, there are some pretty stellar dude personal bloggers out there, some of which we’ve given a nod to before. To make it easy as entering our Man Month raffle, we decided to make a to-the-point guide of our top four favorite male bloggers that you need to add to your reading list asap. Get to clicking!

1. Adam of I Am Galla. Recently relocated to New York, Adam’s style is electic – one day he is wearing a suit and bow-tie, the next he’s wearing a beanie and a hoodie, and the day after that he may be dressed like he is above…however, all of his looks are unified by a kind of classic elegance, sometimes captured just in a pair of shoes, sunglasses, or fits. It’s the thing that makes Adam’s style so chic, yet still so personal. 2. Freddy of Blue Perk. We conducted a great interview with Freddy of Blue Perk not too long ago, so needless to say, Freddy was bound to be included in this list. Another New Yorker, Fred’s style is always on point, colorful and fun – and yet, it always remains to be very wearable. Also, we just love this photo of Freddy on a swing! Didn’t we just say he was fun?3. Peter of The Hobbyists. Besides showcasing some stellar photography (we can thank girlfriend Bethany for some of it), Peter of the Hobbyists has a sort of California cool-casual style that we think could be very inspirational to anyone seeking an easygoing kind of dapper. Not much of a suit guy, Peter dresses up jeans, sneakers and tees like no other.4. Edward of Edward’s Hair. Edward has a strong affinity to cool sneaks, and that’s one of the reasons we have a strong affinity towards him. He has an array of cool kicks that he manages to wear flawlessly with any of his dapper duds, adding a bit of sporty to his ensembles, which range from denim looks to suits with ties. We also find his facial expressions (and sometimes lack of them) amusing – sometimes he turns away from the camera or covers his face altogether. As an answer to someone who asked him, “Why do you always look so angry in your pictures?” Edward said, “Because blogging makes me angry.” Which leads to the last reason we love him – a biting, witty sense of humor.