Top: Modcloth
Jeans: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney
Shoes: Christian Siriano for Payless
Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's
Sunglasses: So, Kohl's
Trendy Treats Charm Necklace
Top: Macy's
Skirt: Celebrity Pink, Macy's
Shoes: Payless
Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's
Belt: Wet Seal
Sunglasses: Rampage, Boscov's
Trendy Tropics Charm Necklace
Top: Macy's
Skirt: Mossimo, Target
Shoes: Chinese Laundry, DSW
Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's
Sunglasses: JCPenney
Top: City Streets, JCPenney
Skirt: Mossimo, Target
Shoes: Ami Clubwear
Bag: Marshalls
Belt: Wet Seal
Sunglasses: Claire's
Trendy Travels Charm Necklace
Top: Macy's
Jeans: Mudd, Kohl's
Shoes: Not Rated, Journeys
Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's
Sunglasses: So, Kohl's
Trendy Tunes Charm Necklace
Dress: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney
Vest: Lisa Frank for XOXO, Macy's
Shoes: Betseyville, Macy's
Bag: Glamour Damaged, Etsy
Sunglasses: Michaels
This is just the right movie mash-up pun to kick off a post about shopping for fall trends. (Although it should probably say "mademoiselles" instead of "madams" because all of these clothes came from the juniors department. Also, because of the whole lady-of-the-night association thing). The theme of these outfits is patches. And the mall with it all has got plenty. It's patches, patches, and more patches, enough to make an overzealous Girl Scout green with envy (no Thin Mint hustling necessary!). Some are in the old-school collegiate and military designs; others mirror our favorite foods, text shorthand, and emojis. Stylish and silly, they make us smile, like wearable stickers of the digital age. Which may seem like a random (albeit whimsical) comment if it weren't for this Lisa Frank vest! That's right, 1990s design icon Lisa Frank has joined forces with juniors giant XOXO (and also someone named "Doe" that I've never heard of) to create a clothing line as bubblegum bright as the iconic school supplies of the 1990s. Now, I've never owned a denim vest. Not even in the 1990s, when it seemed like every girl, tween, and teen was throwing one on over a daisy-print slip dress to watch "90210" and practice Hacky Sack. But I couldn't help but be drawn to this one. I don't know if it's the heart, the unicorn, or the fuzzy pink bear hidden by the collar (Who decided to put that there?! Probably Doe . . .), but I instantly knew that I had to have it. It has a campiness that just sort of screams mall, boardwalk, or any other nostalgic retail attraction where you can get an Icee and an ice blue pair of jellies (this being a mall-slash-boardwalk located at the intersection of 1989 and 1990).
Browsing the mall is still thrilling. I purchased every single one of these patchy pieces in department stores mere feet away from hair extension kiosks and combination Cinnabon-Auntie Anne's. Yep, the mall is a fixture of American culture. It offers a range of adventures as diverse as its stores, a universal truth immortalized by everyone from Kevin Smith in Mallrats to Kevin James in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Which just goes to show that you don't need to buy anything at all to make your trip memorable -- although I'll admit that bringing home a souvenir helps to elevate the experience. Board game creators of the 1990s seemed to know this, too. When we were kids, my sister had two such games: Mall Madness and Meet Me at the Mall. Meet Me at the Mall was more realistic because it featured real stores like Casual Corner and Nine West (hey, this was the 1990s), but Mall Madness was more fun because it had two levels and talked (Attention shoppers, secret sale at Perfume Palace! I repeat, secret sale at Perfume Palace!). Still, both were pretty rad, and not just because their names showcase the alliteration that I so love. Ten-year-old me, by the way, had one of those grow your own crystal kits. Despite my best efforts (and craving for sparklies), it never yielded anything except sad, stunted piles of lurid green powder, a sure sign that I was right in abandoning science for making accessories.
Which brings us to this fresh influx of Flash Charms. It's no secret that I find these quirky little pieces of plastic addictive. Like shopping. And collecting folders emblazoned with kittens eating lollipops and sliding down rainbows.
Who am I kidding? My favorite part of that vest is clearly the unicorn.
1 comment:
You always have such awesome purses and jewellery Tote!
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