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Boutique of the Week: SoLa at the Triangle
Anne Harris
(Announcement)
Named for South Lamar, where the original location is still located, this year-old outpost is a gymnasium-sized, light-filled wonderland of accessories, bags, sunglasses and the kind of clothing that both working women and students want to wear on weekends.
Natural's Not in It
Cindy Widner
Mon Nov 9, 3:40pm
We didn't have no stinkin' Sassy when I was a lass. I grew up in the 1970s, when a tender teen's periodical choices pretty much boiled down to Tiger Beat and Seventeen. Being a pop freak, I preferred the former (and also loved Mad magazine, my enjoyment apparently violating some sort of gender code I wasn't aware of at the time).
Boutique of the Week: Soigné Boutique
Anne Harris
Mon Nov 9, 1:10pm
If you haven't started thinking about what to wear to all of those holiday parties coming up, Amy Schalk and Soigné Boutique have some ideas for you, as well as a chance to shop while helping a great cause. This Thursday evening, November 12th, Soigné will host a pre-holiday mixer and fashion show benefitting The Miracle League,
Now You're Cooking With Gastronomy: 'Return to Beauty' by Narine Nikogosian
Sarah Jean Billeiter
Tue Nov 3, 12:33pm
"Because you have sensitive teeth, Capricorn, this mask is a must for you. It will keep your teeth and gums shiny and healthy!"
These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
Christopher Carbone
Wed Oct 28, 8:42pm
The day I picked up my vintage grey-and-white Steve Madden leather boots from the Austin Shoe Hospital, complete with a new, firm sole and a fresh coat of protectant, I knew I'd made the right choice when I scooped them up from a tiny thrift store on South Lamar early last year. Not everyone is as savvy.
Return to the House of Torment
Richard Whittaker
Sat Oct 24, 1:26pm
Last year, the House of Torment haunted house by Highland Mall was voted the nation's sixth best Halloween attraction by its industry peers: This year, it went up to number five.
AIA Homes Tour 2009
Anne Harris
Wed Oct 21, 4:27pm
When people talk about Austin, it's usually about how wonderfully weird it is, what a nurturing environment we have for the creative spirit, or about our sophistication in aesthetic trends compared to other cities of our size. What one rarely hears, and what is actually a reflection of the sum of these parts,
Quilt of Memories
Richard Whittaker
Fri Oct 16, 4:27pm
As part of Austin Red Week, several panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt are on display. If you happen to be at check-out #9 at Whole Foods Market at Fifth & Lamar, look up at the quilt over head. This one bears particular significance for the Chronicle: It was sewn in part in memory of Ed Lowry, one of the founding forces behind this publication.
Boots of the Week
Anne Harris
Mon Oct 12, 10:18pm
Tags: Boots
We posted a story about boots a few weeks ago here, but the choices keep exploding out of shoe departments and the internet so fast that the least we can do here at Chronique is try to help you keep up.
I Want My H&M!!!
Christopher Carbone
Fri Oct 9, 1:32pm
When a friend recently visited Toronto, I pretty much ordered him to snag a shirt for me at the mecca of fast, Euro-style fashion: H&M. Much to my dismay, the Swedish clothing giant – which operates more than 1,800 stores in 34 different countries – has yet to set up shop in Central Texas.
We're Packin' More Than a Gak This Week
Anne Harris
Wed Oct 7, 4:30pm
Sure, it looks like a purse. About right for the five things you won't leave the house without, right? It has a sassy little size, leather trim, and the color is a sure second-take. Perfect for Sunday services. But you'd best hold up, there, sister, before getting all batty-lash with the preacher. The logo is Veuve Clicquot, maker of the popular champagne.
Finding The Common Thread: Austin's New Fabric Heaven
Anne Harris
Tue Sep 29, 5:14pm
Jeanie Brown really loves fabric. When she needed a print jersey for a project and couldn't find it, it struck her how difficult it has become for home sewers to find apparel fabric. So she opened a fabric store. Make that "fabric gallery", because the pieces on the walls are bolts of fabric, simply displayed and eloquently curated.
National Closeup Alert: Dwell Spotlights Austin Architects
Anne Harris
Wed Sep 16, 5:41pm
Tags: Architecture
If you're going to be featured in a home-design magazine these days, you couldn't ask for a better kingmaker than Dwell, the nine year-old national monthly known for showcasing "dream homes for real people." Making a commotion early on among conservative swans like Architectural Digest and House Beautiful
Photoshop This!
Christopher Carbone
Fri Sep 11, 2:19pm
To retouch or not to retouch, that is never the question. For as long as technology has allowed (Adobe Photoshop celebrates its 20th anniversary next year), art directors of consumer magazines have used it to manipulate images. But many feel that what began as mere enhancement has gone too far.
Passport to 'Handmade Nation'
Lei-Leen Choo
Thu Sep 10, 4:45pm
Handmade Nation is a book, a movie, and a movement about the "rise of DIY, art, craft, and design." Whether knitting gloves, silkscreening a poster, or buying a handmade book on Etsy, the hallmarks of indiecraft are making art accessible and celebrating creative community.
These Boots Weren't Made for Walking
Anne Harris
Wed Sep 2, 10:56pm
Our heads spin with so many boot options this fall - high heels with low uppers, over the knee uppers on flats, lace-ups, open-toe ankle boots. And that just covers the weekends for some people this year. Judging from the varied leggy looks we've seen, a conservative estimate would call for six pairs to be adequately-heeled.
Find Your Inner Beth Ditto
Anne Harris
Wed Aug 26, 2:58pm
Have you ever walked into a formerly favorite boutique and thought you were dreaming because suddenly all of the clothing seemed miniature? What's this Size E? Embryo. That perception may not be because you've gained weight (although, let's face it, Forever 21 ought to be called Forever 12).
Tax-Free Shopping: Grab Junior and Hit the Mall
Anne Harris
Fri Aug 21, 4:26pm
If you've been too busy to listen to local shoppers' jungle beat this week, take note now: Texas' yearly three-day Tax-Free Holiday happens this weekend, August 21-23. The tax break is intended to ease the pain of the annual back-to-school bank-breaker, so qualifying merchandise includes clothing and footwear under $100, backpacks under $100, and finally, for the first time this year, most school supplies under $100. Layaway plans can be used to take advantage of savings, and all purchases must be for elementary and secondary school students. For a complete list of qualifying items see the Texas State Comptroller's news page.
Paper Art: Still Obsessed
Anne Harris
Tue Aug 11, 3:19pm
We promised you more Papercut in this space weeks ago, and apparently what we covered is just the tip of the blade. A reader sent in a link to Cuban multi-media artist Elsa Mora's papercut blog. Inspired largely by her childhood in Cuba, Mora uses an X-Acto knife to painstakingly fashion folkloric images such as birds, girls in pinafores, plant life, insects, and the human heart. There is an innocence and longing in her figures that speaks volumes about the silent seiges of family relationships, uncertainty, and passion. Check out her Etsy store here.
Lady Bird Johnson's West Lake House: The Legacy Conveys
Anne Harris
Mon Aug 3, 12:57pm
She left us more than two years ago, July 11, 2007, but still, I was caught off guard when I saw 2505 Camino Alto, the late, great Lady Bird Johnson's house, is now on the market. Built in 1965 (Lady Bird bought the house in the mid-1980s), the 4943 sq. ft. home features three bedrooms, three baths, two powder rooms, two living areas and two dining areas. It all sits on 1.23 acres and can be yours for only $1,795,000! Most people think of the LBJ Ranch near Stonewall, Texas as Lady Bird's home, but her West Lake house was also a sanctuary from which she could enjoy views of the University of Texas as well as the Texas State Capitol. During her later years, she stayed in town quite a bit to be closer to her grandchildren and her doctors.
Book Review: Kilobyte Couture by Brittany Forks
Rebecca Farr
Mon Jul 27, 3:44pm
Brittany Forks has done a wonderful job with this DIY guide for making geek chic jewelry. Kilobyte Couture (Random House, 2009) features clear instructions, beautifully photographed finished pieces, and binding that allows the book to stay open to the page I'm working on without coming apart all combine to make this book a pleasure to work with. And it gets better: Lest we become bored while trimming and twisting wires and fiddling with our findings, each chapter has either a Top 10 list or computer-geek Q&A that caters nicely to the typical geek-girl thirst for fairly constant tech input. I felt a certain sisterhood with the author when I found that I had read everything on her list of Top 10 Nerdy Book Series, some multiple times (however, I'm not admitting to how many of the series nor exactly how many times).
Austin Fashion Awards: Put Your Golden Boot Where Your Mouth Is
Anne Harris
Mon Jul 20, 4:09pm
Since the poise and humor of Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, who was a fantastic host, and the thoughtful but concise remarks of Critics Choice for Best Model, Zion Francis, were the only things about the Austin Fashion Awards production that reflected well on Austin, there is just no splashy recap. We do, however have some friendly suggestions for next year:
Fashion Week Picks for Saturday, July 18
Anne Harris
Fri Jul 17, 7:48pm
In case you've been hiding in air-conditioned darkness, Fashion Week here is in full swing, leading up to the inaugural Austin Fashion Awards on Sunday night at the Long Center. So get up, get out, and stop by the Marnie Cooper sample sale at Girl Next Door (250 W. Second, 322-0501).
Fashion Week Picks for Friday, July 17
Anne Harris
Fri Jul 17, 3:16pm
Tags: Austin Fashion Week
Don't forget to head over to Soigne Boutique (4800 Burnet Rd., 300-2929) between 4-7pm today for the happy hour showcase of Austin jewelry designer Tracy Tenpenny's beautiful collection of calcedony necklaces and other natural mineral pieces. All clothing, shoes, and purses will be 20% off, so we'll be browsing while sipping champagne and cheating on our diets with chocolates from RIX Chocolates. Then we're heading over to Avenue Five Institute (8620 Burnet Rd., 968-2835) by 7pm for the Vaudevillians Fashion Show. The theme for the catwalk is said to be old Hollywood glamour meets Heirloom Jewelry designs. We're more curious, though, to see the Cabaret-inspired show put on by Avenue Five students. The night will be emceed by Felony Convictions with a special appearance by Ruby Collins from Cap City Comedy Club. All this plus free drinks! Both events are free.
Austin Fashion Week: Get Out and Shop
Anne Harris
Tue Jul 14, 12:37pm
Tags: Austin Fashion Week
As most of you know by now, Austin Fashion Week (July 13-19) started off with a bang at Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz with the Austin premiere of Brüno, in which flamboyant Austrian fashionista Brüno (Sacha Baron Cohen) takes his show to America. Guests were encouraged to dress in their Sunday-worst fashion "Don'ts".
