DenimHunt

Shopping Bag: Checkin' Out Madewell

Western Jean Shirt $88

What is it about denim shirts that does something to your emotional shopping psyche? First, there's buyer's hesitation thinking this is a purchase that could go out of style at any moment and then you're stuck with something you couldn't give away if you tried. Then one catches your eye, like the Madewell shirt above, and you just have to have it. Next, you feel this sort of elation that said shirt goes with almost everything you own, even *gasp* your blue jeans. And finally, you're adding denim tops nonstop in the form of tees, patchwork button-downs and pullovers with the end result inevitably being your wonderment at how you wound up with so many denim shirts.

Thompson Shorts $88

Owning a crisp white short is akin to spending a weekend in the country at a lakeside cottage; dandelion pollen floating through the air as you sip on an ice cold lemonade. Add above denim button-down to the picture and the image is complete.

The Louie Sandal $103

The simple ankle strap sandal is the answer to those of us who are sick to death of gladiator sandals. The design is so basic it's almost plain, but it's the simplicity of this design that makes it so lovely. Also, the yellow adds a pop of color to the denim top and crisp white short combo.

The Marfa Bag $135

Just like the simple sandal, bags that are simple in their design are emerging. It's a welcome change from the oversized, shoulder-aching satchels of the last decade. While not practical for throwing your shoes in on the way to work. It's perfect for a weekend brunch with friends, or better yet, for shopping sprees when you don't want your handbag to become part of your burden.

Drifter Shades $49.50 Chevron Necklace $59.50

Accessories, accessories, accessories. They are the creme de la creme, the cherry on top. A pair of retro chic sunglasses like the drifter shades will actually make you look as if you intended to walk outside with unbrushed hair and no makeup.

An elegant necklace is a complementary contrast to a distressed denim shirt, or any denim shirt for that matter, but the chevron pattern draws attention to the breast pockets of the Madewell Western shirt. It also complements the subtle chevron in the Marfa Bag.

Although neither item will make or break this look. They do give it that something extra.

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 11:13 AM in Shoppe | Permalink | Comments (0)

Love It or Loathe It: Julianne Hough's A Biker Girl Next Door

Julianne Hough's everyday style always seems as if it's just shy of that I don't know what that makes a look come together. Case in point, here she wore a black drapy tank underneath a motorcycle jacket, a pair of Citizens of Humanity "Chloe" shorts and black suede booties. Hmm. Where should we start?

In theory, it seems like it should be a directional ensemble with the combination of summer and winter textures, but somehow, it just...isn't. The motorcycle jacket is too vanilla (if there is such a thing), the shorts are too short and the booties need more boot. And maybe a gray or taupe colored bootie would have had more pop. Hell, even a red.

It seems to me Julianne has succeeded in looking like the girl next door trying not to look like the girl next door. So with that said, there's always room for disagreement. What do you think about Julianne's look? Love it or Loathe it?

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 9:24 AM in Celebrities | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: Citizens of Humanity, Dancing With The Stars, Julianne Hough

Just Because: Hugh Jacked Man in Citizens of Humanity Jeans. You Are Very Welcome

Hugh Jackman was spotted taking a stroll in New York with a full beard looking a lot like Wolverine incognito. The eye candy actor wore a pair of Citizens of Humanity "Sid" straight leg jeans in Rainforest, and personally, I think this is the best he's looked in jeans.

Hugh is very tall, 6'2" to be exact, and has a preference for straight leg jeans. Unfortunately, they tend to barely hit his ankle at times making them fit more like slim trousers. Nice with blazers. Not so nice with t-shirts.

The well-worn appearance and the extra fabric at the ankle make these the perfect knockaround jeans for someone of Hugh's build. Sartorial analysis aside. He looks hot!

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 11:24 AM in Celebrities, Just for Fun | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: Citizens of Humanity, Hugh Jackman, Wolverine

ICYMI: Isabel Marant Pour H&M; Miley Cyrus' Denim Confusion; The Covetable Shirt Dresses...And More

Isabel Marant will give a much needed boost to the overdone designer collaboration phenomenon with her H&M partnership.

GET INSPIRED: Looking for a summer staple? Try the shirt dress. You know you want one. :-)

LOVE IT OR LOATHE IT: Jessica Alba is a short-haired moto chick in Level 99. What do you think about her new look.

RUNWAY TO REALWAY: "Grey Matter" - Going monochromatic doesn't mean going minimalist. Check some of our favorite runway inspired prints.

LOVE IT OR LOATHE IT: Miley Cyrus rocks a pair of schizo jeans, err, sweats, err, jeans sweats. What do you think of her look?

Get Stoked! Stella McCartney is expanding her denim range for Spring 2014!

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 3:50 PM in Link it up | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stella McCartney Denim Expanding for Spring 2014.

If you're a Stella McCartney fan (and who the hell isn't!) than I have some exciting news for you.

Stella McCartney is expanding her denim collection for Spring 2014. I know what you're thinking, "Stella McCartney does denim?". Yes! And sadly I have to admit I didn't know myself until a few days ago. I looked back on the Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 ready to wear presentations wondering if I missed anything. Nope, no denim. But a quick search of the Stella McCartney e-commerce site and denim abounds. And it's a pretty solid collection. My favorites are the yellow ombre jeans and the paneled denim trousers in white, both of which are on sale. But I digress.

Stella McCartney has been one of the most directional designers of the past decade which is evident, not only in her eponymous collection, but also in her game-changing line for Adidas. Because of this, I'm excited to see what she does for the denim market. There are no lookbooks to show yet, but what I can tell you is the expanded collection will include 10 new styles in all of the most popular fits. They will be available in 20 different washes full of spring color and prints meant to complement the ready to wear collection. I know. I can't stop the butterflies either.

As with everything Stella McCartney, most of the jeans will be produced using the most sustainable technologies. This includes the use of organic cotton, water efficiency, less chemicals and no sandblasting.

The price points for the range will be from $350 - $595.

Watch this space for updates. As soon as I hear something new, you will too.

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 9:04 AM in In the News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: denim, Spring 2014, Stella McCartney

Love It or Loathe It: Miley Cyrus Trades in Her Prison Stripes

Hello world! Miley Cyrus has finally made a break for it and escaped from those pesky prison stripes! Just kidding. But we're so used to seeing the bad girl wannabe in the black and white bars, that it wreaks havoc on our sartorial senses to see her in anything else!

The starlet attended the Myspace launch party in a pair of schizophrenic boyfriend jeans by Ashish. The jeans are actually a half denim, half sweatpants combo that doesn't do much for her skinny frame. She paired them with a T- by Alexander Wang bra top recycled from that infamous twerking video, Christian Louboutin pumps and a Chanel bag. And of course she had to add a pound of accessories.

From the front we can stomach it a little, but from the back it's a disaster! What do you think about Miley's look? Love it of Loathe it?

See more pictures of Miley's look after the jump...

Continue reading "Love It or Loathe It: Miley Cyrus Trades in Her Prison Stripes" »

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 2:16 PM in Celebrities | Permalink | Comments (0)

Runway to Realway: Grey Matter

Being monochromatic doesn't have to mean being minimalist.

From anatomical sketches, to brush strokes, to rorschach prints, grey prints bring a chic sensibility bordering on elegance to your summer printed denim.

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 11:00 AM in Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)

Love It or Loathe It: Jessica Alba's a Short Haired Moto Chick!

Jessica Alba (my style icon) looks nothing like herself. And in a rare moment for me, I'm not sure how I feel about her look.

Jessica was spotted in a pair of Level 99's Sarah Cropped Tomboy in Cristal. She paired the carrot leg jeans with a pink moto jacket and deceptively short hair. I say deceptively because in the next shot she's clearly working a bun. This is a departure from the A-lister's more put-together looks and is decidely more edgy.

Love the jeans, on the fence about the jacket. But what do you think about Jessica's look...Love it or Loathe it.

Continue reading "Love It or Loathe It: Jessica Alba's a Short Haired Moto Chick!" »

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 9:23 AM in Celebrities | Permalink | Comments (1)

Get Inspired: The Shirt Dress

Looking for a versatile summer staple? Look no further than the shirt dress. Dress it up with heels and an obi or wear it loose with a pair of espadrilles.

Flip through the slideshow and check out a few of our favorites.

Posted by Shanna McKinnon at 4:31 PM in Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)

Isabel Marant for H&M Should Excite You Again for Designer Collaborations. Here's Why

Image Courtesy of Sportswear International

Parisian designer Isabel Marant is the latest 'It' designer to partner with H&M for their wildly popular low cost designer collaborations. Lately, with retailers like Target and Uniqlo competing with H&M for the best designers, it seems the buzz over them has been waning. Quite possibly this is the result of frequency (and a tad bit of gimmickry). Most business models in any industry will work a profitable strategy into exhaustion. Instant gratification always wins out over the thrill of anticipation. Because of these reasons, I am expecting a lot out of the Isabel Marant/H&M partnership and here's why.

Taking into consideration several Target collaborations, the first fast fashion one I can recall is Stella McCartney for H&M back in 2005. The idea of owning an item from the notoriously pricey Stella McCartney collection had a line around the block at the Fifth Avenue store for several days. Nowadays, it seems a line at any shop is impossible to achieve without Nightclub tactics. Case in point, two years ago I went to Uniqlo Soho to check out a collaboration that was so hyped I expected a line down the block. The line extended to the neighboring shop and after waiting in the rain to be let in by the bouncer AKA security guard, there was hardly anyone in the store. Talk about smoke and mirrors! And more than once I have seen items in the sale rack after the buzz has died down and I have to ask myself why more people don't choose to wait.

So why am I expecting a lot from Isabel Marant for H&M? Well we can start with those omnipresent wedge sneakers. Love them or hate them, and I lean more towards mild dislike, they were everywhere. They were not a new idea. All you had to do was walk the streets of any major city in China years ago and you'd find them on many a Chinese fashionista, but somehow Isabel Marant managed to get them on our feet. Not only that, but they have spawned imitations, sorry, they have inspired, several activewear brands such as Puma and Nike to do the same. That, my friends, is a feat.

From her Spring 2013 RTW presentation, we know Marant has a way with denim. Prints and embellishments abounded and although many a denim company was well ahead of her in this area, the embracing of a trend by a high end designer is confirmation for the masses and surely had a hand in pushing this trend forward.

Next, those damn sandals! The Carol studded leather sandals to be exact. I want them. So badly. So very, very badly. But the $1000 price tag is a boundary I just can't overcome. And since I don't style myself as very different from any girl that loves fashion, I can only assume that you feel the same pain. Therefore, the hope, no the expectation, no the yearning, that she will recreate a lower cost version of these sandals is enough to make me want to camp out.

But basically, it all comes down to this. I am more excited about this collaboration than I have been for any in a long while. And from the reaction on Twitter, it's safe to say that others feel as I do. So how about it. Are you as excited as we are? Sound off below or hit us up @DenimHunt on Twitter.