TrendThrift is a weekly column, brought to you by our resident fashionista, Kate McChesney, as a review of boutiques in and around the Los Angeles area.
I looove the summer--the beach, the sun, the barbecues--everything. There is not one part of summer in SoCal that I don't like. My favorite part of an Angeleno summer are the vast array of new colors and styles in the stores and on the streets. A good friend who visited LA last summer made the candid and profound declaration: "People in LA are not afraid of fashion." He's right. Perhaps it comes from all of the 'actors' in this town; everyone either already thinks they're someone, or they are dressing to be discovered. Who knows? Who really cares? What matters is, LA is a fashionable town.
Brazilian bikinis are all the rage these days. Two hot spots for Brazilian bikinis that won't break your bank are ToaToa: Brazil in Culver City and Mosci on Melrose. Both stores carry a wide variety of colorful prints, all Brazilian style (which means you wear the sides high and the bottom up your butt). Mosci is a little more expensive, starting at $45 and going up to over $90, while ToaToa: Brazil's teeny Brazilian bikinis start at $25 and go up to $55. If you're in the market for a teeny bikini, but don't want the full thong-thong-thong-thong-thong effect, check out American Apparel's simple, hip (but not trying to be hip) and very affordable bikinis and one pieces at stores or online at www.americanapparel.net.
Find out what Kitson is offering this summer as Trend Thrift continues after the jump.
Westside sweeties and Hollywood starlets don't get excited about just bikinis, they get excited about beach ensembles. Yes, "beach ensembles." See, the thing is, swimming in the water at Venice, Manhattan, or even Santa Monica Beaches isn't really an option. People do it, but they probably come down with some kind of something from the polluted waters. Hence, beach ensembles.
Kitson on Robertson, where Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Beckham are compulsive shoppers, (www.shopkitson.com) carry a variety of cute, modern beach tunics and flippies, plus fun accessories like wet bikini bags, designer towels, and big, plastic beach jewelry. They have an adorable Diane von Furstenberg white bikini featuring black and yellow bees, a few with metallic wings. Little white ties on the bottom add a flirty detail to a bottom that covers all your biznass. It is on the pricier side at $145, but the boardwalk will be buzzing about how cute ya look! While you're visiting Kitson, why not head across the street (or, if you're shopping online, go to www.lfstores.com). LF has a great selection of beach basics that can be thrown over your bikini for a fashionable after beach martini and their long, hooded sweatshirts are perfect for a late night beach bonfire.
Summer is here! Don't be afraid of fashion, get out there and upstage those pesky celebrities. Make the paparazzi follow you down Venice boardwalk. Make them think you're a someone! Or who knows, maybe you already are.
nanc' says:
Can someone please explain the tops this summer that look like maternity tops? I can't imagine any woman wanting to wear one of those when she isn't p.g. unless she has a muffin top or gut to hide. Is that it??