July 15, 2021 It’s House Dress Time
It’s house dress time, those peak summer months where the temperatures rise and all we want to wear are airy, breezy, lightweight dresses. They keep us feeling cool but don’t neglect to make us feel pretty and stylish too. They may never see the light of day as we refuse to leave our air-conditioned apartments, but if we do decide to make an outing, a pair of sandals or mules are all we need.
Since we’re also all about joy dressing these days, it’s no surprise we have our eyes on house dresses with pretty prints and plan to dress them up with little scarves and jewelry.
You can never have too many house dresses, especially when you find them secondhand in stores like ours. Here are some examples of ones we’d love to find on our racks.
It’s also house dress time on Thanksgiving (no waistband!) and those Saturdays when we’re committed to doing absolutely nothing at all. And when we’re feeling a little fancy, some house dresses can be transformed with something as simple as a leather belt or bright sash. Just search #housedress on Instagram for plenty of inspiration.
July 13, 2021 The 3 Piece Look from the Streets of Paris
Ahhhh…travel has returned, including one of our favorite pastimes: street style watching in our favorite stylish cities. We just made a little trip to the City of Light last week, and while we didn’t have tickets to Haute Couture Fashion Week, we had an even better view from our cafe tables. We can report the best of French summer style includes an easy 3 piece look from the streets of Paris.
It’s not fussy at all. In fact, it falls right in line with the effortless fashion coordination the French are known for. We’re even guessing you already own all 3 of the outfit’s pieces–but if you’re missing anything–well, you know where to find us.
Let’s break the look down into 3 easy steps that will have you out the door in no time at all.
1. Start with Ankle-Grazing Pants
The type of pants doesn’t matter as much as the length. They should hit right above the ankle. Straight-leg loose denim was the most popular choice we came across.
2. Pick Your Best Sneakers
Those ankle-length pants are all set to show off your best sneakers. You can keep them simple if that’s your style, or grab the pair of stand-out ones you recently picked up.
3. Add a Tube Top
Add a tube top and voila, the look is complete. You’re ready to spend your day site-seeing, strolling in gardens, or enjoying an aperitif. Bring along a button-down or blazer if you’re expecting some afternoon clouds.
What do you think? Is this a look you’d be likely to try this summer? It’s so easy we know we’ll be wearing it.
If you do give it a go, tag us @crossroadstrading so we can see! Your photo may even be shared on our Instagram feed.
July 8, 2021 Beat the Heat with Bike Shorts
It’s summer, it’s piping hot outside, and you love a good trend. Your outfit solution is quite simple then: beat the heat with bike shorts. (Not to worry– biking is absolutely not required).
With some nudging over the past few summers, bike shorts have made their way into our summer wardrobes as go-to staples. Nothing seems to pair as well with an oversized t-shirt or sweatshirt, and they work effortlessly with both sandals and trainers. On top of that, they’re just plain comfy, and dare we say we find them universally flattering.
We pulled together a round-up of examples we really like. Keep scrolling to see lots of happy faces sporting the shorts you’ll see us wearing all around town!
Which look inspires you most? We admire a bit from each look, like the great hoop earrings, platform sandals, and bold graphic tees. The bonus for all looks remains constant: we’re set to beat the heat with bike shorts.
If you find yourself sporting a bike short look this summer, please tag @crossroadstrading to show it off. We’re paying attention, and we may even feature it on our main Instagram feed!
July 6, 2021 What is Joy Dressing?
It’s a bit of an understatement to say that the last year has been a challenge. It’s no wonder we’re now emerging from it ready to hug, sing, travel the world, and follow new dreams. And in there, a fashion shift has emerged too, called joy dressing. What is joy dressing? We’re happy to tell you!
It’s simply a shift towards clothing that’s bright, colorful, and downright cheery. It’s the opposite of everything we wore at home the past year. Think candy colors, neon hues, and prints that POP.
Other trends fit in nicely into the joy category. Floral prints reign and there are lots and lots of nods to 90’s and Y2K fashion (Butterfly hair clips are back!).
Still trying to picture the art of joy dressing? Take a look at these outfits from our stores.
What do you think of joy dressing? Does it sound like something you’ll try out this summer? If you find your closet in need of pieces that suit the trend, visit any of our stores to shop for bright and colorful motifs, from contemporary to vintage styles. Or, if you have pieces in your closet that you no longer love, bring them in to sell for cash or trade credit and get the pieces that do bring you joy!
July 1, 2021 Black-Owned Fashion Brands to Follow
For the last year, Crossroads has been committed to using its social platforms to share Black-owned fashion brands to follow. It’s been a fun job discovering new and established labels, and then putting the spotlight on them!
We continue to feature brands each week on our Instagram feed, so be sure to follow along. Here are the 4 brands we featured in June:
1. Dressed in Joy
The perfectly-named @dressedinjoy brand knows how to bring JOY to athleisure pieces with its bright prints and rich hues. We’re even feeling a little inspired to match with our BFF! Visit their website here.
2. Mess in a Bottle
Black-owned @messinabottle dropped a limited-edition Queen Jacket in June that we’re crazy about, and we stand 100% behind their mission to “create MESSages that evoke change, give a voice to the voiceless, and create a community of unapologetically authentic humans.” Visit their website here.
3. CultureFit
@culturefitclothing is a brand creating globally-inspired activewear that reflects the founders’ West African culture. They’ve even created matching yoga mats to pair with their apparel collection. Brilliant!
4. Emmalyn Love
As we stock up on sundresses that will take us through summer, we have to introduce you to fashion brand @shop.emmalynlove, founded by Liberian-born fashion blogger and mom, Emmalyn Love Fully. Her designs are both beautiful and affordable! See for yourself here.
This blog post features only 4 Black-owned fashion brands to follow– there are many more on our Instagram feed. You can also join us back here next month when we feature our July picks! #supportblackbusiness