POPSUGAR Fashion News

California Dreaming: Kendall Conrad's Gorgeous Seaside-Inspired Accessories

Christina Perez — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:04:54 PST

If Kendall Conrad's eponymous accessories line makes a strong case for seaside living, it's really no wonder. As the California native and current Santa Barbara resident puts it, "the beach is a part of my DNA."

It's a DNA that comes across quite nicely in the designer's Spring 2013 collection of handbags, small leather goods, brass jewelry, and flat sandals. In a sun-bleached palette of seagrass, sand, mussel shell, driftwood, bone, cypress bark, and aloe, and with style names like Narcisa, Azucena, and Cincha, these pieces just can't help but evoke the salt-and-sand spirit of the beach.

But that's not to say these pieces are wild by any means. Nope, their real appeal is their simplicity, and it's a refined sort of elegance that Conrad has worked hard to achieve. "I would never make anything that I did not want to wear myself. I design what I want to wear in my own life. The accessories I am drawn to have clean lines, no logos, and usually come in a natural color palette," she explains. "My handbags are unfussy and need to be functional because I love beautiful things but I am pragmatist at heart. I don’t believe the two need to be mutually exclusive."

A selection of Kendall Conrad's Spring 2013 pieces, here in the gallery.
At left, the Spring 2013 moodboard, courtesy of Kendall Conrad.

Shop It Now: The New Anthropologie Collabs From Jen Kao and Karen Walker

Christina Perez — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:44:58 PST

Since its launch last April, Anthropologie's online collaboration platform Made In Kind has consistently and quietly offered up some of the best capsule collections around. To date, there have been ranges from Gregory Parkinson, Timo Weiland, Tracy Reese, John Patrick, Chris Benz, and Samantha Pleet, among others, and each has been just as appealing as the first. The latest batch, available online now, is no exception.

Karen Walker, one of Made In Kind's inaugural designers, is back with a new line called Runway. Inspired by "Victorian seaside holidays," the dresses, skirts, and tops come in a nautical palette of blue, red, and white; a few striped-bottom ruffled pieces call to mind Walker's outstanding Spring 2010 collection.

Meanwhile, with a collection filled with mixed prints and femme silhouettes, Jen Kao is making her Made In Kind debut. Inspired by a trip to Bali a few years ago, her collection has a distinct East-meets-West vibe and also features five silver pieces - a ring, a necklace, two sets of earrings, and one very charming bracelet.

Click through to peek all the items in February's installment of Made In Kind - including work from Byron Lars and Dusen Dusen - here in the slideshow.

Sneak Peek: Valentino Lands at The Outnet This Week

Christina Perez — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:39:17 PST

Because Valentino is just so incredibly covetable, it's always exciting when it suddenly becomes even a little more accessible. Imagine, then, how our hearts went all aflutter when we heard about this: on Tuesday, Jan. 29, The Outnet will reveal a whole treasure trove of the brand's accessories, shoes, and clothing - all for prices up to 75 percent off. And there are some real gems to choose from, too: sandals adorned with rosettes of lace (originally $965, now $385), a studded wool and leather coat (originally $5,500, now $1,210), and a turquoise and crystal embellished clutch (originally $3,080, now $1,080).

Pieces won't arrive online until 11 a.m. EST, but here's a little sneak peek of what you can expect to find.

Photos courtesy of The Outnet

The New Online Arrivals We're Coveting This Week

Christina Perez — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:28:32 PST

With this week's Valentino, Chanel, and Dior couture shows all pushing variations on a garden theme, it's no wonder that suddenly we've been propelled into a very Spring-like mood - despite the current subzero temperatures where we live. Petal prints, rosy hues, floral brocades, and latticework are just a few of the park-inspired details topping our wish list, and thankfully, those are the very things that are trickling into our favorite stores. Even though the frigid weather will most likely keep us from donning any of these pieces soon, one thing is certainly true: When the warm weather does come, these are the pieces we'll definitely be reaching for.

Shop It Now: Thom Browne Pre-Fall 2013

Christina Perez — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:12:06 PST

Michelle Obama wore it, and now you can too. Available now at Moda Operandi, is Thom Browne's smartly tailored Pre-Fall 2013 collection, which includes pieces very similar to the custom-made fit-and-flare coat that Mrs. Obama sported at the inauguration in DC on Monday.

Among the goodies are a handful of double-breasted dresses cut in the same navy silk tie jacquard, as well as a pleated dress in midnight blue whose silhouette bears a striking resemblance to that now-famous piece of outerwear. For those who admire Thom Browne's figure-enhancing cuts but do not wish to be the first lady's mini me, there are also plenty of other gorgeous, menswear-inspired ensembles; our favorite is an extremely luxe-looking wool houndstooth ensemble made up of a crewneck shell, round-shouldered jacket, and knee-length pencil skirt.

Click through to see the entirety of the Thom Browne Pre-Fall 2013 pieces available for presale on Moda Operandi, and hurry - not only does the trunk show end Jan. 25, but judging by the amount of buzz Browne is currently receiving, these pieces are sure to be snapped up very soon.

Photos courtesy of Thom Browne.

10 Style Updates For a Bright Winter

Christina Perez — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:53:44 PST

Cold-weather blahs are easily banished with an injection of rainbow hues and sunny brights. Take a cue from Emporio Armani (left) and pile on some multicolored fur or keep things breezy with disco-light jewels that offer just a hint of sparkle. Ten cheery options right here, in the slideshow.

Photo: Greg Kessler

The New Online Arrivals We're Coveting This Week

Christina Perez — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:27:27 PST

A fresh new year means fresh new fashion, and thanks to the bright and breezy Resort 2013 collections, there is certainly no shortage of that at our favorite online stores. Click through to peek the best of it - from a cozy canary-hued Isabel Marant crewneck to a vivid fire-engine-red Ferragamo jumpsuit - all recently arrived and ripe for the plucking. And as a major bonus, there's this: these pieces are so chic, they're sure to look sweet straight through Spring.

The Ultimate Under-$25 Gift Guide

Christina Perez — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:21:18 PST

These goodies are so gorgeous no one will ever know they didn't cost a small fortune. Gilded glassware, sparkling jewels, artful decor - it's all here, it's all chic, and it all rings in at $25 or less.

24 Luxurious Holiday Gifts For the Man Who Has Everything

Justin Fenner — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 06:11:10 PST

What's more luxurious than gifts that really do keep on giving? When it comes to finding presents for the men in our lives this holiday season, we've honed in on garments, gadgets, accessories, and personal furnishings designed for years of use. Whether it's a membership to Svbscription - the service that delivers a parcel of curated luxury goods four times a year - or a pair of Alden's timeless tassel loafers, these gifts are built to stand the test of time.

All We Want For Christmas: The Most Outrageous Things on Our Editors' Wish Lists

Christina Perez — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:12:22 PST

We spend all year drooling over the best of the best, so is it any wonder that when the holidays finally roll around we set our sights high? Yes, we know we'll never really get that Chanel surfboard or that solid gold iPhone case, but you know what they say: dreaming is free. So on that note, here it is: our if-money-were-no-object, pie-in-the-sky wish list for holiday 2012.