Blog: Crossroads Style

Best of the Week: Alexander Wang, Missoni, Colored Jeans

May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you ask our staff members what their favorite part of the job is, a lot of them will say that it’s the excitement of what the day holds. Unlike a normal store, each day at a Crossroads store holds something new – whether it be a pair of fresh Alexander Wang peep-toes or an adorable nautical Betsey Johnson romper. Their next favorite part? Seeing happy people walk out with those things they helped bring in. Take a look here and see what came into our stores this week. If you hit us up this weekend, maybe they’ll be there, waiting to say hi.

Alexander Wang, size 37.5, $350 at Fillmore StPaul smith peep-toe Oxford heels, size 8.5, $45 at Williamsburg CrossroadsBetsey Johnson sailor romper, size 2, $47.50 at Hawthorne CrossroadsTory Burch, size 9.5, $45 at Wicker Park CrossroadsNEW Colored jeans, $18.00 each, all Crossroads storesMatiko Cheetah shoes, size 7.5, $100 at Costa Mesa Crossroads

Valentino mesh booties, size 37, $350 at West Hollywood CrossroadsNaven imitation leather jacket, size M, $55 at West Hollywood CrossroadsNEW Various sunglasses, $10.00 each, all Crossroads storesL.A.M.B. small bag, $55 at West Hollywood CrossroadsFrye boots, size 9, $145 at Irving St CrossroadsMissoni flats, size 7.5, $150 at Evanston CrossroadsDoc Marten’s, size 7, $55.00 at Haight St Crossroads

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Trendspotting: Bold Florals

May 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to sunshine-filled weather and spring activities, little wardrobe staple sees as much wear as a good floral anything. Indeed, as Miranda Priestly so sharply pointed out in The Devil Wears Prada, “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.” She was right to be so snide…but she was also way wrong. Unlike floral patterns of the past, this year’s petal-packed prints are anything  but demure. Oversized, mirrored, bright, or worn literally all over – this isn’t exactly the wallflower’s sort of floral print. We like a fresh new take on originals. And you know what else we like? You. We know you can rock it.

Images via Zara, Song of Style, Fashion Gone Rogue, Late Afternoon, Oyster Magazine, Shine by Three

Filed Under: Featured Post, Trendspotting

Who Likes Short Shorts?

May 16, 2012 By 1 Comment

What’s your flavor? Is it bold florals, pastel, destroyed, or sweet pastels? Season’s they are a’changin’ and one thing that matches with all of your summer’s activities (we asked you!) is shorts. No matter your style, it’s time to get leggy. We couldn’t be more excited to oblige the weather.

So now we want to know from you…who likes short shorts? Which are your favorites, and if the answer is nada, what are you excited about wearing this summer?

Images via Wildfox, Smile for Style, Fashion Distraction, Inspirafashion, Vogue, Tumblr, The Darkroom, K is for Kani, No But Yes

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4 Celebrity Lines We Absolutely Love

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When Paris Hilton has a shoe line (she does!), you know it isn’t exactly hard for a celebrity to start a brand label. We love Jessica Simpson shoes as great alternatives to designer footwear…but what we love a bit more is a celebrity with as much a knack for design as they do fame. And who would we be if we didn’t give credit where credit is due? Today we outline four celebrities lines that are absolutely killing it…and you may or may not be surprised by who is doing what. Next stop? Our Facebook page, to nab that L.A.M.B. bag for less.

1. The Row by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Little did we know that adorable Michelle from “Full House” would grow up to be a fashion designer. When the celebrity label fad began, MK and Ashley Olsen were among the first to make a move towards high-end designer instead of fast mall merchandise. Established in 2007, Mary-Kate and Ashley were made members of The Council of Fashion Designers just two years later. The Row is known for elegant designs, details and shapes, often in simple colors with clean lines. In addition to The Row, the twins have established a slightly lower-cost brand called Elizabeth and James (which is named after their two siblings), a JCPenney line called Olsenboye and a T-shirt line called Stylemint. 2. L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani. Remember when Gwen was a rocker who wore bindis? We vaguely do too, but now L.A.M.B. is recognized as the number one fashion statement to ever come from Gwen. The acronym stands for “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.,” and started out as a collaboration with LeSportSac in 2003. The edgy L.A.M.B. brand isn’t for the faint of heart – it speaks to Stefani’s own fashion influences, including Guatemalan, Japanese, Indian, Jamaican and good ol’ rock n’ roll styles.3. Holmes & Yang by Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang. Did you know that Katie Holmes has a fashion line? Working alongside her stylist Jeanne Yang, Holmes & Yang is a smaller line that was originally inspired by menswear – the idea being that as a man owns a single suit and re-wears it, why shouldn’t women have pieces that are just as timeless and versatile? The line is carried at Barney’s and features simple pieces in well-crafted silhouettes.4. House of Harlow 1960 by Nicole Richie. Just like we would have never known what the Olsens were going to become, who could have ever imagined a line like House of Harlow 1960 coming from Nicole Richie? The daughter of Lionel Richie was best known for being Paris Hilton’s snarky sidekick in an early reality TV show called “The Simple Life.” Despite that, Richie  has developed an outstanding jewelry and accessories line that embodies her own personal style, which is bit boho and a bit modern, but still harkens back to the 70s. The end result is gorgeous jewelry, eye-wear, accessories and shoes that we are all complete suckers for. You’ve come a long way, Nikki!

Images via Refinery29, Mama’s a Rolling Stone, The Purse Page, Nordstrom

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Items of the Week: Roseville Crossroads

May 14, 2012 By 2 Comments

California is known for easy dressing. Here, we reside in a land of flowy maxi skirts, flip flops and lightweight tank tops. Ahhh, it’s refreshing just thinking about it, even from the great indoors. But being from California has its downsides, and sadly, being generalized as a bunch of beach bums is one of them. So today, our Roseville store team located in the real NorCal proves otherwise. Sure, we like a good tan, but we also know how to get down and dressy…all while still possessing that alluring Californian appeal (hello, gold sequin shorts!). Check out how we do it in Roseville below, and check in again next week because another fabulous Crossroads team will take on the styling challenge – and own it.

ON AMANDA: Betsey Johnson sunglasses $20.00, Yellow hat $10.50,  Jessica Simpson sequin shorts size S $15.00, Dior handbag $500 consignment, Messi Shop Top size S $12.50, New Crossroads Necklace $18.50ON JEREMY: Ben Sherman tie $14.00, Vintage blazer size S $12.50, Barney’s long sleeve button-up size S $10.00, Banana Republic pants size 32 $10.50, Ralph Lauren loafers size 10.5 $30.00ON JESSICA: Diane Von Furstenberg dress size 2 $65.00, Belt $7.00, New Crossroads headband $18.00,  Christian Louboutin heels size 37 $500.00 consignment

Filed Under: Featured Post, Items of the Week

How to Wear Colored Bottoms

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Denim is pretty much the fabric of anyone’s life, and trying to steer clear of jeans for five days of the week is work enough – whew - glad that’s over! Whether you’re a student or a working lady, we bet the only thing you’re thinking of working up right now is an appetite, not a colored pair of pants. But we’re also betting that the strong trend of bright bottoms isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and you’ve been wondering how to work the look too. So before we send you off for a beautiful weekend, we’re breaking down the bold bottom for you, from styles for body types to working them into your regular wardrobe. Fashion Week, smashion week, you don’t need a grand  occasion to rock some palazzo pants, and we’ll show you how right now.

1. Ballerina body? Meet the palazzo pants. If you’re naturally long, willowy and slim, you’re just the kind of person who has the opportunity to don the palazzo pant (and we’re so jealous of you!). Since you’re long, your body won’t get lost in the excess amounts of material. The gathering around the waist of an elastic band pair will create an illusion of curves, and if you’re long but a bit more hip-y than that, find a pair with a tailored waistline.

2. Keep the rest neutral. For a complete bright bottom novice, the easiest way to start playing with your pants color palette is to keep the rest neutral. A beige or white top will keep the outfit looking calm and collected, if that’s what you seek.

3. Junk in the truck? Mullet skirts. Not just a too-cute trend to try, we are big proponents of mullet skirts for practical purposes too. Whereas everyone enjoys a mini in theory, not every body can really rock it. A mullet skirt offers a flirty, fashion-forward solution – party in the front, business in the back. On a side note, the movement of the skirt while you’re walking is simply oh-la-la worthy.

4. Keep it in the family. If your go-to bottom is a pair of blue jeans, then I can see how trying to squeeze some color onto your bottom half would be difficult. As a beginner, coordinate your top and bottom colors by keeping them on the same side of the color wheel, such as blue with green. When you get more comfortable, then you can start to experiment with more bold color combinations.

5. Pear shaped or not, try a  princess-style. In you’re very much a pear like me, you’ll find this season’s other hot commodity, the full skirt, to be a priceless piece in your wardrobe. The whimsical, feminine shape hides hip-iness and accentuates a narrow waistline. At the same time, if you’re narrow at the hips, this skirt can help create the illusion of some. Basically, it’s really a win-win for every skirt-favoring fashionista, and as a side note, tulip skirts can do the same thing!

6. Balance a bold bottom with neutral accessories if needed. In this case, I paired a bold bottom with a bright and poppy skirt. Any more colors to my outfit and it may start to resemble a pack of skittles. If you start to build an outfit and feel the same, move to neutral accessories and makeup to pull the outfit back a bit.

7. Torso talk. The rise of your pants, skirt or short should differ depending on your torso. If you have a short torso, stick with low waist pieces that won’t overwhelm your body but instead elongate it.  At the same time, if you have a long torso, you may have noticed that something about the low waist jean trend didn’t quite sit well with you…literally. High rises are friendly to long torsos, creating just the right amount of balance between upper and lower body.

8. Bring it in the office. It’s amazing how many pair of black and khaki slacks  a working woman can have! If you’re eager to get stylish in the office without making too many waves, try a regular looking pair of work pants in a fun shade.

9.To pleat or not to pleat? As much as I think pleated pants are adorable, I know they just don’t work for me. Again, if your lower body is boyish, pleated pants will do their thing and help create curves. If you’re already endowed, stick with more streamlined, pleat-less waistlines.

10. Hourglass figure? Pencil skirt it. If you’re body is perfectly balanced, well lucky you! A pencil skirt highlights all of your features, but make sure it fits properly. If not sized correctly, pencil skirts can go from bombshell to blah in about three seconds. With this cut in particular, fit is extremely key.

11.  Bring a jacket. If you’re bottom heavy or just self-conscious about wearing cobalt pants, bring a jacket along. It will take attention away from the bold bottom you’re wearing, and provide some extra coverage in the back.

12. Do you. There isn’t a formula to wearing a green mullet skirt or a red pencil skirt. Did you notice I tried to hit a variety of styles in my outfits? Whether you’re the girl next door or the girl with the rocker tattoo, we guarantee you can roll with the colors this summer. Make one yours and own it.

 

Filed Under: Featured Post, How to

The Newest Newness

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Besides selling recycled chic, Crossroads is also proud to present a healthy helping of newness on the regular. And this week, I’m eager to show you the freshest of the fresh, the newest of the new. Coming to all Crossroads stores* in just a few days, these blue-tagged babies are eager for summer bike rides, or better yet, Saturday morning flea market trippin’. We can see it now – you arrive early in cut-out style, then cut out with all the best flea market gear, leaving people to wonder who’s that girl and where did she get that art print, all while setting the bar for the rest of the day, sartorially speaking. Nice.


Floral cut-out midi dress, $35Sheer tie-top, $16
Sheer polka dot button-up, $17.50

Except our Stockton outlet

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, Dresses, Featured Post Tagged With: , , , , , ,

3 Easy-As-Pie Nail Ideas

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Look, we’d really love to ride the nail art trend to the fullest, but while we’ll reblog and pin your pretty pictures like there’s no tomorrow, in practice we haven’t been able to commit. The reason is less laziness and more part of being bustling, working women – we’re busy! However, no matter how you see it and whatever your reason, there’s really no excuse for untidy, naked nails. In three different levels of difficulty, today we drop three bomb nail ideas that shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes max. Cute cuticles have never been so within reach.

Easiness Level 1: Shattered Nail Polish. As a girl with no patience, OPI’s line of shattered nail polish is an excellent, easy and quick fix for nails. Plop on some base coat followed by a base color, and apply the shattered nail polish on over. The nail polish separates naturally, making you look like a natural born nail artist. Imagine the color combos! Baby blue over white? Black over neon? Red over pink! All you practically need is some fingers to make the end result ah-ma-zing.
Easiness Level 2: Nail Stickers. The idea of nail stickers being art is something like sticking Lisa Frank stickers onto a blank canvas and hanging it onto your wall. Really? Really. Authenticity aside, we say purchase Sally Hansen nail stickers, and if you’re even just a little polish-savvy, follow these ladies’ cue below and put a little paint over them. No one will be the wiser. Your secret’s safe with us.
Easiness Level 3: Glitter Tips. We like French tips, but the idea of painting a straight line seems like just a little too much work for the likes of us. A more messy glitter tip looks equally fantastic, but unlike achieving the perfect messy hair, doesn’t actually require much work. The key? Apply your base coat and base color, and then apply the glitter nail polish on the tip of your nail with a foundation wedge (the kind you normally would use on your face!). The messiness looks natural because it is indeed. Cover your shimmer with some top coat to stretch out your polish’s lifespan and you’re done and done.
Do you have any easy faux nail art ideas we missed? Maybe we’ll need a part dos! Comment and let us know what you think.

Images via The Finishing Bar, Lacquerista, A Polish Addict

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Trendspotting: Destroyed Denim

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here’s the funny thing about underdogs – they always seem to come out of nowhere, no? And so recently we’ve been trendspotting an undeniable resurgence in good ol’ destroyed-to-the-bone denim, which seemed to have disappeared a few years ago without a single, frayed trace. Spied on ladies and men of fine fashion and taste across the interwebs, destroyed designer denim is a whole new take on the phrase from rags to riches rags of riches. As self-proclaimed vanguards of recycling fashion and DIY enthusiasts, we say you save your buck and instead  invest in some scissors and sandpaper. Create your own denim dream, destroyed to your own exact denim needs.

Images via Elle.com, Vanessa Jackman, The Sartorialist, Song of Style, Street FSN, Oracle Fox, Manrepeller, Brooklyn Blonde

Filed Under: Featured Post, Trendspotting

Items of the Week: Crossroads Stockton Outlet

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Did you hear the delightful news? As of today, Crossroads Trading is buying for summer! In order to celebrate the season, our Stockton staff took to their racks with a brand new closet conundrum – how do you style brights? While we all admire a bit of Jak & Jil street style on any given day, let’s be real. Not everyone wants to colorblock, but all of us want to learn how to insert some new hues into our closets of demure blues and neutrals. The team came up with three paparazzi-ready, picture-perfect outfits, and with them three tips to keep you coloring like crazy…without going outside the lines.

1. Soften neons with neutrals or a basic black. Nothing screams “Hello summer!” like a good neon clutch…except maybe a pair of neon shorts! Marylou dares to wear both together, but she looks more fierce than loud. She pulled it off by wearing her brights with a pair of black booties and a black top. A metal collar necklace adds a nice touch of interest without pushing the outfit into the arena of overwhelming.

ON MARYLOU: Timing Polka Dot Blouse size M $15, Zara Shorts size S $8, For Freedom Clutch $7, Toi et Moi shoes size 10 $13, New Crossroads Trading Co. necklace $13.50

2. Wear your brights with lights of the same color. Another way to work in bold hues is to wear one bright with a piece of the same color scheme, but with a touch less energy. Anthony looks fantastic in cobalt shorts and a classic light blue button-up.ON ANTHONY:  Marc Jacobs shorts size 36″ $11, Gap button-up size XL $7, Crossroads Trading Co belt $7 , Crossroads Trading Co. glasses $10

3. Find a hue that suits you. Neons may be trending hard right now but not everyone wants to be seen in shades of highlighter…and hey, that’s okay. Stephanie opts for a more traditional red – and she still looks fantastic.

ON STEPHANIE:  Forever 21 blouse size L $6, Aryn K skirt size 5/6 $9, DKNY button-up size L $9

Filed Under: Featured Post, Items of the Week
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