Rittenhouse clothing is a high end, yet laid back, label by Australian designer couple Sally McDonald and Micah Hamdorf. The line is based out of Sydney, but is named after Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square - an homage to the city where the pair reunited after spending some time apart on different sides of the world.

For their latest collection, the prints showcase playful polka dots using the batik technique, in a range of colors, textures and sizes.

See the full collection.




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One of my favorite designers does it again....

A sampling of the Fall 2010 line by Margarita Saplala.

See the full collection here.



P.S. Giveaway winner will be announced later today :)




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Make way for London-based label Ayuk and Adaora.

Founded by Tanja Ayuk and Christine Allinson in 2009, the pair sought to create a line that exhibited their passion and dedication in creating affordable, handmade, luxury clothing that combines great craftsmanship with unique design.

In their latest fall/winter collection, structured jackets and statement dresses dominate - featuring the perfect balance of sharp tailoring and feminine flair.

I spoke with Christine about A&A. Here is what she had to say:

How did you two get started in the fashion industry?
We found that we loved fashion and being creative from a very early age. We trained in various design disciplines and found fashion to be the best way to express our creativity.

What made you leap into starting your own label together?
We share the same passion and determination to produce affordable designer clothing for women. To make clothes women could treasure for a lifetime.

The very first thing you designed/made?
Our first collection was inspired by nature and we worked with feathers and leathers. We do not follow trends so it is wonderful to have complete creative freedom.

Do you have a specific girl you are designing for? What's she like?
Our girls are strong minded and independent, they don’t follow trends and wear what they want and what they feel comfortable in. That is why in each of our collections we include one off piece so our customers have the opportunity to buy something completely unique to them, like the beautiful Warrior waistcoat.

What inspired you in your latest collection?
Our inspiration came from geometric shapes and structural forms. We produced strong designs that were so unique that they can be worn season after season and look incredible.

Favorite piece you have in store?
It is very hard to choose a favourite piece from our AW10 collection! Palette in Islington is stocking specially selected and one off pieces from September - a favourite there has to be The Goliath Dress in rust, a real showstopper.

How would you describe your personal style?
Our styles change every season but what remains constant is the fact that what we choose to wear has to be exquisitely made. All the pieces from our collections are cut so beautifully, that although the design may be complex, the garment is comfortable to wear. We’ll be wearing the velvet Stalagmite Jacket to death this season!

Any plans to expand on your line?
Ayuk & Adaora is currently being stocked in boutiques in London and New York. We have some exciting new projects coming up. We are looking at plans to expand but we want to do this without jeopardising the quality of our clothes.

Thanks Christine! 

xo

Want more Ayuk & Adaora?

Website

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The charming line Dear Creatures was created by Bianca Benitez and Rob Sinclair. The pair cultivated each other's creativity, combining their common love for decades past to create an overall aesthetic of clean, classic style with a modern sensibility.

I love the concept for the Fall 2010 line - nostalgic and narrative - inspired by Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Perfect for fall. And gloomy days like today.

Photography: Yudi Ela Echevarria
Photo assistant: Erika Hokanson
Hair: Tara Jean
Make-up: Eliven Quiros



P.S. Don't forget to enter the giftcard giveaway!

Beautiful new line from Fischer - a sportswear collection designed to layer into and complement the wearer's existing wardrobe.

Photographer: Edwin Tse
Hair + Makeup: Stephanie Peterson
Model: Ciara Christensen
Jewelry: Carla Mota



P.S. I've been a little absent with my move to the new apartment, houseguests and housewarming, but I promise I'm back here and ready to put in some more time with you all. Some great stuff will be coming this week, too: a q&a with one of the Ayuk and Adaora founders, and a sweet little giveaway.

Also, check out our party weekend on my roommate Beth's blog! xo


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Punches of color, bold graphics and feminine details are paired with simple silhouettes and classic accessories in Lauren Moffatt's Fall 2010 collection.

I love the fun mix of boy meets girl style - great fall wardrobe inspiration.

Check the lookbook here. Or shop around.





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One of my favorite people on the Internet is the lovely Chanelle of Penelope's Vintage. Not only has she been a great supporter of this little blog here, I have great respect for her talent.

A thrifting hobby and a great eye for style helped Chanelle to successfully launch her own online shop - which has absolutely turned heads - and she is here today to give us some tips on how to dig through vintage goods ourselves in atwg's very first guest post.

Enjoy!

Thrift shopping can be a scary task for people. I understand. There’s an overwhelming sea of clothing shoved in one area that you are expected to find something out of - and something cute, at that.

My name is Chanelle and I’m here to help you overcome your fear of thrift shopping. If you’re an avid thriftier, I love you and I’m sure you understand. I own an online vintage clothing store, Penelope’s Vintage, therefore I’ve had some practice, not to mention 75 percent of my closet = Goodwill.

Me, Chanelle, in black high-waisted shorts: I’m really into sheer blouses right now, so I went to the blouse section at Goodwill and picked out this beautiful white georgette blouse with a collar and pleats down the middle. I paired it with these shorts I also found at Goodwill a while ago - high-waisted with pleats. They are really ugly if they’re not rolled up because they’re too long, but I played with them a bit and now they’re as good as new! The blouse also has a greater appeal with the sleeves rolled up, although I do like them down too.

I have five super simple tips to help you shop or get you started.

Be organized: Take yourself to your local thrift store, dive in and go one rack at a time. Thrift stores usually have everything organized and separated nicely. Start off with the lightest weight items like blouses, then work your way across the store. The items add up QUICK, therefore starting off with the lightest weight item makes it more manageable to take around with you. If you’re like me you will end up with a mountain of clothes.

Look for patterns or colors that appeal to you: When you approach a rack, push all the clothes to one side of the rack then push them one by one to the other side in a quick motion. While doing this, spot out the prints and styles that you like and take it off the rack to see if it’s love. I know, you hate me for saying this, but this is the most effective and rewarding way. If you refuse this method you can also walk down the aisle and spot the prints, colors, textures, etc., that appeal to you and take them off the rack as you spot them.

Start off simple and take chances: First time? Vintage t-shirts are a great way to start - they go with ANYTHING and the men’s section is usually a jackpot. Eventually make your way into blouses, bottoms, etc., and before you know it you’ll be in a full sequins jumpsuit! Try to try on at least one outrageous item - those are usually the best ones.

Here’s an item from the store, 90s high-waisted white denim shorts. Again, these weren’t that appealing in their original form but roll them up and you got yourself a cute summer item. We paired it with loud (AWESOME) leopard shoes to give the flat colors some appeal, and added a pop of color with a Wilma Flintstone necklace.

Picture the items on and/or with an outfit: Do you wear items alone? NO! You wear it as part of AN OUTFIT! Try picturing the item with bottoms or tops, a belt at the waist. If the sleeves are too long, picture them rolled up. Picture a clunky bracelet and a cocktail ring with the outfit. Play with the item if you like it. You can also research before shopping and go in with an outfit idea in your head to find. Sites like Lookbook.nu or Chictopia.com have AMAZING outfit ideas with vintage items.

This item is also from the store. It was originally a skirt (and can still be a skirt) but looks AWESOME as a tube dress, as well. I often find skirts that I wouldn’t normally wear but LOVE the print or color so I usually try to it as a dress before I completely give up on it. Luckily long skirts are in again so you can have two pieces in one!

Try everything on: Most places have mirrors and not dressing rooms. My best advice would be to go shopping dressed in leggings and a tight shirt so you can try items on over your clothes in front of a mirror. Things look COMPLETELY different on than they do on the rack, so this step is crucial. Some look better on, some look worse!

The thing I love most about thrifting is: it’s creativity at its finest. You have to search, have imagination and be bold. It’s gratifying when you find that GEM that is a piece of vintage. It’s yours, and you found it. If thrifting is not your thing but you love vintage, there are tons of eBay and Etsy stores that do all the work for you. They do the shopping and show you different ways to wear it. Just click “buy”! These steps have helped me to find NUMEROUS items that I wouldn’t have found otherwise, and in a timely manner at that. I hope these tips help and make thrifting a more enjoyable experience.

Thanks Chanelle!

xo

Stay tuned for part two from Chanelle, coming soon!

Penelope's Vintage.
Facebook.
Twitter.
Lookbook.

Inspired by her native roots, designer Erika Bates pays homage to her Cherokee background in her autumn/winter 2010 collection Native Spirit for her label Asuyeta, formally known as Erika Hendrix.

Inspired by the history, culture, clothes, and the language, Erika designed a line featuring blanket capes and skirts, fringes and knee-high leggings - each piece in the collection having a Native American name.

I absolutely love the contrast between Native Spirit and the more feminine looks we have seen from her before. So different.

Shop the new line on Erika's site.




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Julianna Rae Big Summer Sale!

The luxury lingerie brand, Julianna Rae, is featuring a blow-out end of summer sale. Through August 25th all silk chemises and gowns are on sale up to 50% off.

Next month, more exclusive offers....

Between September 2nd and 8th get free shipping on any online purchase and between the 15th and 22nd all camis and tap pant sets will also be on sale up to 50% off.

Just visit http://www.juliannarae.com/!


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Designer - and daughter of legendary board shaper Al Merrick - Heidi Merrick makes the clothes she wants to wear.

A perfect blend of classic pieces with modern updates, Merrick's fall 2010 line is effortless and can easily be mixed and matched. From the metallic details to the stripes to the army green, the stylings are perfect for fall but can be enjoyed many seasons ahead, too.

See more styles here.




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Designers Filippa Knutsson and Patrik Kihlborg combine timeless simplicity with contemporary edge in their distinctive fashion line Filippa K.

Perfect for working girls and modern urbanites alike.

See the fall 2010 lookbook here.





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Whitney Pozgay, niece of Kate Spade, combines her aunt's girly-prep style with a tomboyishness all her own in her new contemporary line of clothes called WHIT. The Brooklyn-based designer honed her skills during a stint as the lead designer of womenswear at Steven Alan - spearheading collaborations including Steven Alan for Uniqlo and the Urban Outfitters brand Lark and Wolff.

Her first lookbook for fall is inspired by her enduring love for Harold and Maude, the colorful works of artists Mark Rothko and Henry Darger, with a dose of French influence by Jane Birkin, François Hardy, and Nouvelle Vague.

The graphic shots have touches of whimsy that come to life with unique headgear. And standout pieces like the twill cape coat, bright poppy red sweater, and high-waisted wool faille miniskirt, all prove to be girlish essentials that could make a home in a range of closets.

Mod-preppy and effortlessly chic. Makes me crave fall.

Check the lookbook.





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I can't believe we're in August already. This summer has absolutely flown by and I feel like I've barely been able to enjoy it.

Thankfully I keep stumbling across great summer lines to distract me from the inevitable fall weather...

Enjoying this great little sustainable collection by Stewart+Brown - shot in the little beach town of Ventura, California - featuring neoclassic stylings in amethyst, jade and crimson.

Delightfully West Coast prep.

The Collection.
The Shop.



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Between eying the colorful photos of a friend's travels through Asia and those of an inspiring international photo project, I want to surround myself with all things patterned and vibrant.

Cult phenomenon Mociun utterly satisfied this craving of mine with its originality and intense love of prints.

Started by Caitlin Mociun, a RISD textiles grad and world traveler, the designs are inspired by an ahistorical use of various cultural pattern and textile traditions.  The Bauhaus combination of art and craft are employed as well.

See more of this sustainable line on the Mociun site.




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For the past few weeks I have been on the hunt for a little dress for an event I am going to this week - The Best of Washington party at the National Building Museum. I searched high and low for a unique piece but failed miserably in my search.

If only I would have given into a little bit of temptation, I may have ended up with one of these Mara Hoffman babies I've been lusting over for so long...

Hoffman is such an eclectic with her culturally-inspired threads, expertly draped silhouettes and bold prints - definitely a personal favorite.

And to think she got her start just by looking great, walking the streets of New York.

See more of her 2010 collection on her site.



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Kelly Bergin is easily becoming one of my favorite designers.

Bergin created her line in 2009 after completing her schooling at the Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. In her pared-down line she wanted to reflect the LA lifestyle with a focus on ease of wear and loose bohemian stylings.

Full of sheer fabrics, skin-baring cutouts and both neutral and fuchsia tones, the spring/summer collection features incredibly versatile pieces that are both classic, comfortable and sexy.

Definitely a designer to keep your eye on. I can't get enough.




P.S. I'm back from my little hiatus - sorry for the lack of warning. The personal life has grown a bit hectic in both good, bad and ridiculous ways. I hope to keep some normalcy in my life by returning here daily with a little post. Missed you all so much xo :)




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