BeanStreets #2: St. Patty's Day Edition

St. Patrick's Day is always a festive time in Boston. These are just a few quick snapshots of some of the ways people wore green on the streets of Southie in celebration of St. Patty. I didn't get any shots of my outfit this year, but it was basically a huge coat (it was freezing!!) and the same green Chuck's I rocked last year.

BeanStreets #1

Rumor has it that Bostonians have no style, that the fashion here is non-existent, or is dominated by Ugg and sweat pant clad college students. I beg to differ. Let's let the pictures speak for themselves though. From time to time, I'll put up a street style picture or two to demonstrate Boston's abundant flyness. For the first edition of "BeanStreets," I decided to share a picture I snapped back in the fall, featuring a young brotha in Franklin Park whose casual cool caught my eye. The combo of the camo backpack with the plaid shirt and fedora is fly without trying. Now that the snow is starting to melt, I'm looking forward to seeing more of this kind of effortless style.

FNOBoston 2012 Recap

I had a faaaaaaaabulous time at Fashion's Night Out in Boston this year. Somehow I managed not to get a single picture of my outfit, which probably means I was too busy enjoying myself. Some of the highlights for me were: 1) The spectacular fashion show held in the heart of Copley Place, featuring upcoming designers who crafted innovative works from materials as unique as birch bark; 2) Free hairstyling at the Aveda store, as well as samples of many of their luscious products; 3) Kicking in with the future of fashion, my peoples--The Urban Fresh crew and shoe designer Theodore Green. If FNOBoston is a taste of what Boston has to offer, then I can't wait for Boston Fashion Week, which is right around the corner! Stay tuned...

All photos copyright 2012 © Nuri Chandler-Smith. These images are NOT to be used or reproduced unless written permission has been given. To request permission please email: beantownbrown617@gmail.com

#FNOBoston 2012 is here!

While New York will be an absolute mob scene of celebs, bloggers, free drink seekers, photographers and tourists tonight, Boston will play host to a slightly more subdued, but no less fun version of Fashion's Night Out. This is the second year that the city will officially participate in the FNO festivities, closing down Newbury Street to traffic once again. I had a ball walking up and down Newbury last year, checking out local designers, listening to live music and bobbing my head to the beats blasted by DJs from Arlington Street to Mass Ave. 

In preparation for tonight's fashion marathon, I've been checking the internets for clues as to where the hottest spots will be (and for the weather report). It's no easy task. As mentioned in this Boston Globe article, there is no central clearinghouse for all of the FNOBoston events. The article does make note of a few of the evening's highlights and links to a list of all of the Newbury Street stores which will be participating. From that list, as well as my own sleuthing, I've been able to map out a few spots to check for:

• Marc by Marc Jacobs (81 Newbury St.) - featuring free t-shirts and a photobooth
• Emerge Salon & Spa (275 Newbury St.) - offering seated massages and eye/hand treatments in front of the building
• Saks Fifth Avenue (Prudential Center) - showcasing a shoe show, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres from 6PM-8PM
• Prudential South Garden (Prudential Center) - free screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's at 6PM
• Copley Place Center Court - hosting a fashion show at 6PM featuring Jimmy Choo, Elie Tahari and more.
• Sephora (Prudential Center) - 10 minute makeovers by beauty experts 
• BCBG - BCBGMAXAZRIA (Copley Place) - featuring an Instagram contest. Get styled in store, take a pic and post it to Instagram using hashtag #BCBGFNO for a chance to win a $1,000 BCBGMAXAZRIA wardrobe 
• Barneys New York (Copley Place) - from 6-9pm 10% of all sales will be donated to Human Rights Campaign
• The South End's Red Light District - there will be a whole host of events throughout the neighborhood. Check here for details.  

Oh and one last note, before you hit the streets to check out the lastest in fashion trends and nibble on free treats, make sure you VOTE!

Festive Faces

Here are a few of the images I snapped at this past weekend's Caribbean festival in Boston. I must say, it was a beautiful day on Blue Hill Ave.

All photos copyright 2012 © Nuri Chandler-Smith. These images are NOT to be used or reproduced unless written permission has been given. To request permission please email: beantownbrown617@gmail.com

A Fashionable Farewell

When I was a pre-teen, my mother used to take me shopping on Newbury Street now and again, helping to nurture my love of fashion. One of our favorite stops was always the Betsey Johnson store. Bright pink, unique and girly with strength and edge, we always enjoyed browsing the iconic looks and innovative designs of both the clothing, and of the store itself. These trips were the first thing that I thought of when I learned that Betsey Johnson had filed for bankruptcy. The second thing I thought of was cartwheels.

Sadly, Betsey Johnson stores across the country will be closing, including all of the Massachusetts stores and my beloved Newbury Street location. My mom and I will be making one last trip there this afternoon to reminisce and to check out the sales, which begin today (at all stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. I believe). While I probably won't give in to temptation and do a cartwheel in front of the store, and I am sad to see the end of place filled with fun memories, I am looking forward to another girls' day there with my mom and to checking out the incredible discounts from one of my favorite designers.

"Femcee" Fashion

As a HipHop fashion aficionado, I'm always on the lookout for the newest trends, styles and fashion phenomena in the culture. Trace Urban recently put out the video above on some up-and-coming female emcees (I'm so not a fan of classifying artists by gender, but that's another topic), focusing a bit on the styles each of the selected young ladies likes to rock. The video focuses mainly on artists who are currently generating some mainstream buzz. I would have loved to have seen more unsung/underground sistas like Boston's own Letia Larok, the young sista being presented by 9th Wonder, Rapsody, or even some international talent, but that's just me I guess. Ironically, most of these buzzworthy beauties also have a lot of similarities in their steez (I'll let you figure out what they have in common yourself) and while the video makes brief mention of the role of marketing in the visibility of these artists, unfortunately it doesn't go into an in-depth discussion of the ways in which marketing directly impacts the image-making process (especially for female artists). Alas, it seems that the era of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Trina is back in full effect (*sigh*). Hopefully, we'll also get some future Lauryn Hills, Queen Latifahs and Rah Diggas to balance things out. 

Oh, and since we're talking about women in HipHop, check out this interview with 9th Wonder on the subject.

If there are any fresh new female artists you think I should get put on to, feel free to hip me in the comments section below. In the meantime, I'm gonna keep Rah Digga's ridiculously ill Tyler the Creator diss track on repeat.

Kicks Convention

Today is the Deadstock sneaker convention at the Fourth Wall Artists Space in the Fenway. The event runs from 12pm-6pm at 132 Brookline Ave Boston. Sneakerheads will be rolling out from far and wide, so break out your flyest kicks and check it out!

Sunday is for Sneakerheads

Surrounded by sneakers on a Sunday afternoon. While I tend to represent Boston's oldschool *throws threes up*, and don't really rock Nikes like that, this Dunks event still looks like a fun way to start off the best month of the year. ;)

The Villa Victoria Center for the Arts is the perfect venue, spacious and located right in the heart of Boston's South End. I participated in another sneaker event there awhile back, where I had a pair of original, mint-condition Jordan's on display. This was basically the only way you'll catch me repping Nike. If you check my St. Patty's Day post, you'll see that I am an ADIDAS and Converse (sometimes Puma or Saucony and even more rarely, New Balance) girl to the core. 

If you don't find what you're looking for at DXC, you can also walk down the block to shop at Laced, or go a bit further into Back Bay for the epic experience that is Bodega. Happy sneaker hunting!

Last Chance for LF

 

Much of the fashion blogosphere (like NYC blogger Keiko Lynn) is abuzz about the store LF and the incredible shoe sale they've got going on right now. Having never been to the Boston store, I'm not sure if it's buzzworthy, but the weather is beyond beautiful in Boston, which means it's the perfect time for a stroll down Newbury Street (especially now that the power is back on). Who knows, maybe part of my stroll will be in some fly new shoes! Let me know if you check it out, or if you already have the LF scoop.

LF Boston

353 Newbury Street

Boston, MA 02115

 

Reppin the St. Patty's Day Green in the Bean

Clockwise: Adidas Okapi, Matt & Nat cuff, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star High Top (Photo credit: Nuri)

Here's a little taste of what I wore this weekend for the festivities happening across the city. The weather today could not have been more perfect for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in South Boston. Highlights for me included seeing Darth Vader rolling through Southie on a float, meeting a really cool colleague of former Governor Michael Dukakis and re-discovering that, contrary to popular belief, Boston is home to some of the friendliest people in the world.

United Sistas of Color Meet & Greet where Pretty Girls Rock Dresses

Pictures from last year's event c/o the USOC event page

So, I logged into facebook earlier this morning to find an invite to a cool event happening later this month. I am always down for something that combines multiple things that I love, in this case, fashion and giving back to the community: 

USOC Meet & Greet and PGR Dresses Challenge FRIENDLY TAKEOVER II

 

Monday, March 26, 2012

6PM-9PM

W Hotel Boston

100 Stuart Street, Boston

Pretty Girls Rock Dresses Challenge 1 year anniversary! Pretty Girls Rock "DRESSES" Challenge is calling for all women regardless of race, religion or economic status, to come together and bring back FEMININITY, GRACE AND CLASS. The "challenge" is asking all women to start wearing dresses at least THREE (3) times a week like our mothers and grandmothers use to; we will invite friends to join the challenge, take pictures and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Pretty Girls Rock FRIENDLY TAKEOVER BOSTON is the official Boston launch of the challenge. We came together last year along with PGRD Challenge launch parties across the country. We will come together again, in DRESSES, and takeover the very beautiful W Boston lounge in the Theatre District. Together we will meet, mingle, dine and take photos. Together we will bring femininity back!

This is also the United Sistas of Color Meet & Greet where we will come together this evening for good food, good people and good conversation to share our vision, ideas and goals with all of you! We are asking that ALL attendees donate GENTLY used prom appropriate dresses, shoes and/or accessories to OPERATION PROM DRESS. Operation Prom Dress is an effort to make sure no girl living in the Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain and Roslindale area is denied the opportunity to attend her prom because of financial hardships. All donations will be given to qualified girls at NO COST.

So BOSTON, in the spirit of womanhood, in the spirit of GIVING BACK, lets throw our jeans in the closet, put on our dresses, our stilettos (or flats) and lets PRETTY GIRL ROCK!

Hope you can join us as we begin our journey in strengthening our relationships with each other and giving back to the community!

Check out the event on facebook for more information! 

This looks like an event that is definitely worth checking out and supporting. Not only did I just pick up a dress that I've been looking for an opportunity to rock, but I've been cleaning out my closet and have a great dress to donate, so this works out perfectly. Although I'm not entirely sure that I'm down with the challenge aspect of the event (or with the notion that femininity and dresses are inextricably linked), I think it sounds like fun and like a cool way to help some younger sisters have a dope prom night. Now I just have to figure out what shoes to sport with this dress...

Fashionably Late

I've been thinking about going to NYC for Fashion's Night Out this year, but I've also been thinking that it would be cool to stay home and check out FNO in my own beloved city.  While not (yet) known as a fashion capital, and currently stereotyped as the worst dressed city in the country, it's hard to imagine FNO being any fun in the Bean, but I'm thinking that between FNO and Boston Fashion Week, the month of September might be the time to change Boston's bad image.

Newbury Street will be closed to all traffic for the first time in history. Stores will be open late into the night for shopping, cool events and profiling in your best threads. I'm thinking that Boston may indeed be the place to be for FNO this year, but some of the events on the NYC FNO listing are kinda tempting as well. 

I'll make up my mind in the next few days, but in the meantime, is anyone else thinking about exploring the fashion world late into the night on Sept. 8th? What events have peaked your interest and more importantly, what/who will you be wearing?!

Best Bargins in the Bean?

 

As a budget fashionista in the Bean, I tend to frequent consignment shops like Second Time Around for quality designer pieces at a serious discount (like the green Givenchy A-line midi skirt I was drooling over at the 324 Newbury Street location), chains like H&M for trendier pieces or basics, and TJ Maxx or Marshall's for bags and shoes (don't sleep on their housewares section either). I find that by mixing budget items from chain stores with discounted designer items and the collection of funky accessories I've accumulated from around the world, I can create a look that's all my own. There are also a lot of cool local shops like Bodega (if you haven't been in the store, you must go ASAP, as just walking in there is an ill experience in and of itself) and Laced where you can cop t-shirts and kicks unlike anyone else on the block. 

So where are your go-to places in Boston to get geared up on a budget?

(Re)Fashioning Boston

It's no secret that Boston is home to some of the greatest talent and creativity in the world. With more colleges and universities per capita than anyplace else on earth, with a plethora of museums and galleries and with an eclectic mix of historical and contemporary architecture, it's no wonder that Boston has been the birthplace of incredible creativity. 

How is it then, that this city is known as an intellectual capital, it isn't known as a fashion capital? Let's not discuss the fact that GQ named Boston the worst-dressed city in the country (we'll save that topic for another day). Whether or not the average Bostonian knows how to put together a chic ensemble, the Bean is in fact home to some fantastic art, design and fashion schools, as well as a ton of raw undiscovered talent, making me wonder why we have yet to secure a solid spot on the fashion map. I tip my hat to the founders of Boston Fashion Week for attempting to shine a spotlight on the design talents of our city. 

That said, a few local designers have certainly made an impression on me over the years:

House of Nahdra

Selahdor by David Chum (Project Runway Season 9 contestant)

Kréyol - Joelle Fontaine

So, who are your favorite local designers? Whose designs would you like to see on the catwalks of Boston Fashion Week this year?

It's Denim Day Boston 2011

Nope, Denim Day is not just about fashion, it's about rocking your gear with a purpose! The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence is taking the lead on this international campaign to take a collective stand against domestic violence:

Denim Day Boston is an anti-rape, anti-violence, and anti-victim blaming campaign for all peoples of the Boston area.  It’s a time to remember that all people have the right to live life without sexual violence and without the fear of sexual violence, that we all have the ability to fight for that right.

I'm glad to know that today, my jeans have meaning.

Malcolm X's Grandson, Malcolm Shabazz, @ GIANT photo shoot

This is a beautiful short clip about a beautiful young man. The weight of the legacy he carries on his shoulders must be astronomical. I was particularly moved by the parallels between his life and that of his grandfather. I can't wait to see what this young brotha does next. Big ups to Giant Mag for continuing to bring us intriguing stories and images.

TRON Transformed

I am LOVING the fashion, hair, make-up, styling and overall look of TRON: Legacy!! It's sleek, retro/futuristic flair is a perfect accompaniment to the film and is sure to be an influence everywhere from runways to round the way. The LA Times Blog has a great article about the costumes and fashions from the 2010 update to the TRON franchise. The costume designers did an excellent job putting together a unique look for the film that also held true to the original (somebody get me those shoes the sirens were rocking!!!!!! Oh, and the umbrella too!). It was also nice to see Ya Ya from Top Model making an appearance as a sleek Siren. 

Overall, I loved the film (the IMAX experience is well worth a few extra dollars to get the full experience of the amazing visuals and music from Daft Punk). Now I just have to get a copy of the new game, TRON: Evolution for PS3. It looks "far out" man.