Odylyne Spring Preview

Although I can't exactly recall the first time I heard about Los Angeles-based line Odylyne, the relaxed silhouettes and flowy maxi dresses are seared into my memory. On Thursday night, along with fellow bloggers Heather, Sasha, Neekoh, Kristen, and Jessi Jae, I previewed the Odylyne spring line and met designer Stephanie Lampkin at stylehaüs, a spacious members only boutique in West Hollywood. After seeing the pieces up close, I'm convinced that the collection has everything you'd want in a spring line: immaculate quality, romantic details, relaxed bohemian silhouettes, soft colors, and interesting textures.

After admiring the store's selection of Camilla Skovgaard booties, Smythe separates, Genetic denim, vintage Lanvin, and colorful Vena Cava dresses, it was time to focus on the true stars of the evening: a crochet tiered maxi skirt, a floral spaghetti strap maxi gown, a crochet-trimmed kimono jacket, and a ruffled V-neck maxi dress from the Odylyne spring 2012 collection.













My favorite piece?  This ultra feminine crochet-trimmed dress pictured above. It's slightly shimmery neckline detail and tiered high-low hemline just beg to be paired with some strappy sandals and taken to a deserted beach or grassy field for some carefree twirling in the breeze.

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Las Vegas Photo Diary

As a first time attendee and blogger at WWDMAGIC, I didn't know what to expect as far as how many vendors would allow me to take photos.  Having worked at a trade show as an exhibitor in the past, I knew that photography was prohibited and widely discouraged.  Fast forward to 2012, and with the predominance of smart phones, tablets, and apps such as Instagram, times are changing rapidly.

Fortunately, I was able to document a lot of my experiences.  My strategy was to inquire before taking photos if I was in a booth, and the reaction was generally positive. I did learn that the indie vendors and designers at Project and POOLTRADESHOW were much more likely to allow photography than the larger vendors at WWDMAGIC. Naturally, bloggers are far outnumbered by buyers, but the daily blogger panels hosted by Teen Vogue, WWD, and FNPlatform made me feel right at home.  Here are a few notable images from my short trip to Las Vegas, and for more photos, have a look at Part 1 and Part 2 of the store windows on my other fashion blog, as well as my 2012/2013 fashion trend preview.

Hwy 15

neon color inspiration via Blq Mkt

Caesars Palace

cupcakes that I managed to resist

Teen Vogue "Art of the Start" blogger panel

Fashion Snoops booth with S/S 2013 trend prediction

 the spring 2012 line by Many Belles Down

Luxor Hotel

my favorite graphic piece from Motel's spring line

Souldier handbags

lounge at the Luxor

YA Los Angeles printed dresses

shopping cart display at Project

trade show mural in progress

New York, New York

California desert

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WWDMAGIC Overview & 2013 Trend Preview

**Warning - the photos and content on this blog are protected by international copyright laws, and may not be republished, rewritten, or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author.

I finally experienced a slice of fashion heaven also known as WWDMAGIC. Although I went prepared, it was every bit as overwhelming and stimulating to the senses as I imagined. Picture thousands of vendors, even more attendees, endless street style inspiration, high energy music, row upon row of booths filled with fashionable objects and buyers, and a bewilderingly large floor plan with multiple trade shows showcasing everything from activewear and indie jewelry to edgy footwear and feminine frocks.

My tips for being productive were: having a schedule, studying the floor plan ahead of time, staying hydrated, bringing multiple cameras, having plenty of business cards and a notebook, wearing comfortable shoes, and remembering to take it all in and have fun.

My objectives were to visit vendors, discover new brands, attend blogger panels, take copious notes during the seminars, meet new people, identify key trends for upcoming seasons, and photograph as much as I could.  Although it's easy to succumb to all of the things that Vegas has to offer (endless buffets, gambling, shows, shopping, nightlife, etc.), I remained focused on gathering as much information as possible.  OK, so I had a moment of weakness, and did some shopping; the florals at Zara were practically calling my name.  Expect to see store window photos very soon on my other fashion blog.

Now onto the good stuff.  Key trends for women include: color blocking, digital and photographic prints, whimsical bird prints, lace and crochet, lots of sheer and mesh fabrications, cutouts, watercolor and saturated florals, neons, and perforated/cutout details on women's footwear.  Sporty looks, 1950s silhouettes, Native American print inspiration, and 1920s influences will also be significant going into 2013. Additional women's footwear trends are: iridescent treatments and metallic finishes, cowboy ankle boots in bright colors and prints, fringe, sculptural ankle boots, and color blocked platforms in bright hues.  If I had to choose two trends that predominated, they'd be neons and color blocking - both in apparel and footwear.

I'll be posting spring/summer 2013 trend and color reports soon, but for now, here's an overview of some of the memorable things I spotted.



Pictured above, clockwise from top left: B by Aperire footwear, the WWDMAGIC blogger lounge, Z&L by Zudor handbags from Spain, a few of the sights & hotels I saw in Vegas, Pantone's color of the year - tangerine tango, and some standout dresses I spotted at Project.



Pictured above, clockwise from top left: color block handbags by Chicago accessories line Souldier, Imoshion floral and fringe handbags, a Johanna Christine dress, graphic printed pieces by Motel, and three casual fall looks by Free People.

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The Jason Wu for Target Review

In the spirit of the fitting room reviews and photos that I have been doing since 2007 with Target's capsule collections, I though I'd post some personal style photos and my share my own Jason Wu for Target review, albeit with a twist.  I've styled my purchases with favorite pieces from my wardrobe, and I'm including tips on where and how to wear the pieces.

September 16, 2019 update - Shop Jason Wu for Target:

August 2019 update - If you missed out on Jason Wu for Target the first time around, bookmark this page now to shop the #Target20 anniversary collection on September 14, 2019. Target is celebrating 20 years of design by re-releasing some of its bestsellers, Jason Wu included. See which pieces they are bringing back and get shopping tips here.

With a better camera than the one I usually take when I'm photographing looks in fitting rooms, some natural lighting, and the comfort of home, I put together these five looks featuring some of my favorites from the Jason Wu for Target collection.



The dot print shirt dress in cream runs large and is made of thin polyester. I'm wearing size XS, and due to the long length, I've belted it in a blouson style to shorten it to a more flattering above-the-knee length on me. It's a trick that I have learned since I'm petite, and it's useful because it both emphasizes the waist and shortens the dress - no alterations needed.  The contrasting collar and cuffs, pintucking, and trim make this dress really special, not to mention the fun print.

Where/how to wear the dress: under a blazer with pumps and a floral bag, or to brunch with wedges, black tights, and a denim jacket.



The sleeveless sheer panel floral top also runs big, and I'm wearing size XS. It is a bit boxy, but also looks great tucked into jeans or skirts.  It required a strapless bra if you want to avoid visible straps.  It's lightweight and comfortable, and perfect for spring. Since the weather is cool and windy, I've layered it under a cardigan.

As far as the floral flap handbag, I like the size and I love the print. There is a zip pocket on the back which I find useful. The clasp can be tricky, though, but I like that the shoulder strap is removable.

Where/how to wear the top: under a crochet sweater and with flared jeans for a casual school look, or tucked into an A-line skirt and paired with a trench coat and platform heels for a polished winter look.  For spring, I may pair it with a kimono top, vintage 501 cutoffs, and ankle boots.



I layered the navy dot tie blouse over the sheer panel top on a whim, and liked the effect.  I'm wearing size S, and found it to run true to size. The snaps are lacking in quality, but the top is comfortable and versatile.  The length is suitable for me to wear tucked in or out.

Where/how to wear the blouse: with a striped pencil skirt, tailored blazer, and kitten heels for a print-mixing work look, with skinny jeans, a fringe bag, and ankle boots for a casual day, or with a blue floral maxi skirt and strappy wedges for a bohemian vibe.



The quirky cat print of this tee is right in line with spring's conversational print trend. I couldn't resist the cute Milu print. I'm wearing a size S. The tee does run big, and unfortunately, it's made of wrinkle-prone rayon.  Like some of the other tops, it's slightly sheer.  My solution with sheer tops is to wear a skin-tone color tank top or camisole underneath.   I get mine at H&M.

Where/how to wear the T-shirt: under a tuxedo blazer with skinny jeans and wedge pumps for a night out, or under a red cardigan and with a black pleated skirt and high-heeled Mary Janes for a preppy daytime look.



The sheer dot blouse was not an item that I planned to buy, however, I liked the feminine shape and the flounce in the front. I'm wearing size S, and I think it runs true to size. In order to get the Equipment-esque fit that I desire, I probably should have gone to a size M.  I added the black bow, layered a nude tank underneath, and tucked it onto a Forever 21 skirt for a dressy French-inspired look.

The cat print tote bag is well worth the hype. It's roomy, has sturdy construction, and is adorable. The main drawback is that due to its light color, it's prone to getting dirty.

Where/how to wear the blouse: with a bow, opaque tights, and tucked into an A-line skirt for the office, or worn untucked with a faux fur coat, skinny trousers and pumps for a casual lunch date.  For spring, the top would work well with cuffed dress shorts and ballet flats, or with colored skinny denim.

I will likely incorporate more pieces of the collection in upcoming personal style posts, and I'm looking forward to finding new and creative ways to wear them in order to make them unique to my style.  I'm excited to see how everyone else wears their Jason Wu for Target pieces, too.

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Wrangling Wu - A Review

If you follow thekeytochic on Instagram, then this may look familiar.  It's my wish list for the Jason Wu for Target collection, which I shopped today bright and early. Fortunately, my store had a reasonable selection, although no scarves were to be found. I also shopped online at 10:30 last night, and with lots of refreshing, multiple browsers open, fast clicking, and plenty of patience, I was able to order the items I wanted as they became available via updates from the TargetStyle Twitter account.

My in-store observations:

*Dress sizes run big, and go from 2-16 or XS to XL. I recommend going down a size.
*Tops run true to size, and go from XS to XL.  Beware of poor quality snaps on the polka dot bow blouse.
*Most popular piece? The navy poplin dress with the stripes at the hemline.  It sold out with 2 minutes at my store.  The navy floral dress and wheel print dress (which I liked) were still lingering on the racks when I left at 9am.
*The dresses are true to Jason Wu's aesthetic. They have great attention to detail, fun prints, and elegant, timeless silhouettes.
*Store inventory was lowest for the handbags at my store, although most apparel items had about 4 of each size when the store first opened, which is more than usual for these Target collections.  The bags were gone in under 5 minutes at my store.  It got really crowded as the women descended upon the clothing racks, but everyone was friendly and calm.
*Check the fitting room go-back racks for items not found on the floor. Lots of women were trying things on only to return piles to the fitting room attendant due to fit/quality issues.
*It's necessary to arrive well before the 8am opening if you want to snag the pieces on your wish list. Just how early depends on how close you are to a large city, the density of Target stores in your area, how style-conscious your area is, and how much sleep you're willing to lose.  My store had fewer than 30 people by 8am, including some dedicated boyfriends and husbands, who were lined up single file.

I was third in line at my store, and I did as well as I could have done given my store's inventory. I somehow managed to give an interview with a reporter about blogging and shopping Target's capsule collections. In the end, I left the store with: the cat tote, floral flap bag, some tops, and the dot print shirtdress. Luckily, the clothing pieces that I wanted were the things that others did not. I'm looking forward to receiving the red cardigan, navy floral skirt, and cat scarf later this week if my orders ship.



September 16, 2019 update - Shop Jason Wu for Target:

*Update - for a more visual look at the collection with personal style photos and a new twist, read my Jason Wu for Target review.

This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if purchases are made by clicking links.

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