It’s the time of year when people start to bring out their warm and cozy clothing.  Sweaters, jackets and shawls all get a workout when the leaves start to color and the air feels a little crisp in the morning.
But what’s a fashionista to do if you don’t want to look like everyone else in the same fleece jacket or bulky sweater?
Check out what the indie designers are doing, of course!
Etsy has more than 200 pages of sweaters alone.  That’s not including other cool-weather clothing like shawls, wraps or jackets.
If you’re in the market for something new and cozy – …read more

To continue our Fall handbag exploration, I thought I’d check out what cute bags I could find in purple and grey at Etsy. It wasn’t hard to find Rennes Le Chateau the Etsy shop maintained by Julia Kirsten.  I was struck at how simple her handbag designs were yet they are stylish too.
If you love big bags, about 15″H x 17″W x 3″D big, or need a stylish and versatile bag that will hold just about everything you can throw into it, the Annie Leather Tote Bag ($200) is a fantastic choice.  This would be wonderful to use for travel, …read more

Time for another fabulously unique Etsy find! I can’t get enough of the brilliant and talented handbag designers on there. There is just so much variety and styles to choose from and each piece is lovingly made and priced quite nicely.
Are you looking for a fantastic bag to use for fall and winter? Look no further than Jennifer Yuan Zhenun Leathers collection of ultra functional and eye catching bags. Jennifer currently lives in Thailand and her bags are inspired by the rough and tumble lifestyle of jet setters. She creates bag that have just enough distressing and details to make …read more

If you want to give someone special a unique gift look into indie jewelry lines. One of a kind pieces are hard to come by so when you find one, snap it up!  There are a lot of unsung and talented jewelery designers and most of the really interesting pieces can’t be found in major department stores.  One in particular is Nina Forrest.  Her handmade designs are eclectic, colourful and make a statement.
Upon browsing the Nina Forrest collection, this amazing floral pendant caught my eye immediately. It’s absolutely perfect for summer and can easily be dressed up or down.  …read more

By Guest Blogger Lisa Fogarty
In the late 18th century, wealthy Brits made a game out of scrutinizing inmates’ antics at the Bedlam asylum. Hence, the inspiration behind “Bedlam,” Nom*d’s imaginative A/W 09 collection.
Nom*d, which stands for Nom de Plume, has helped define a style known as “The New Zealand Look,” which is usually slightly gothic and darkly humorous. Designer Margarita Robertson takes traditional fabrics like Fair Isle knitwear and vintage pajama prints and lengthens, doubles and bandages them tightly around the body.
How long before teenage girls are hanging out at Starbucks with their sleeves fastened around their chests?
Find out …read more

By Guest Blogger Lisa Fogarty
Helene Berman may be “indie,” but scrappy? Oh, no. While other women were burning their bras, the British dame was studying fashion design at London’s prestigious Harrow School of Art and Design.
Her swingy cropped jackets and petticoats – yes, I said petticoats – are charming and ultra feminine, while her ladylike collection of hats, which range from metallic bucket hats to satin turbans, epitomize elegance.
I’m hoping if I can don a cute straw trilby and dogtooth print skirt I can still get away with chugging black coffee instead of Earl Grey.
Find out more at HeleneBerman.com.
Lisa Fogarty’s …read more

By Guest Blogger Lisa Fogarty
You can’t flip through a fashion mag without seeing those two ubiquitous words that have come to mean very little: Statement Necklace. Most of the time, editors seem to be referring to any and every gargantuan bauble one can squeeze a chain through. Office Tramp is an exception to that rule.
The inspiration for Office Tramp is simple: pure boredom. College friends Gina and Adriana began designing pieces because they were tired of their traditional mundane work attire. Their custom necklaces, earrings and pins are saucy, flashy and, yes, just a wee bit artfully trampy.
Find out more …read more

By Guest Blogger Lisa Fogarty
Ayka Yasis is an artist’s designer. She learned how to sew out of boredom. Her muses include Mark Rothko, Leonora Carrington and Madonna and, instead of chasing trends, she scrutinizes, mocks and deconstructs them. If that isn’t enough to convince you she’s the coolest girl in Queens, NY, maybe this will do it: she didn’t go to school for fashion and chooses colors and fabrics based on what she likes.
Ah, if only my obstinacy could yield such interesting designs.
Find out more about Ayka Yasis and her designs at aykaayka.com.
Lisa Fogarty’s Bio: “I am a reporter for …read more

By Guest Blogger Lisa Fogarty
You just know some designers will be okay. If they don’t make it in fashion, you can picture them striking gold as Parisian-based painters. While Deborah Kaplan and Tiffany Ang, the Brooklyn duo behind Death by Drone, certainly fit that category, their designs are just too aesthetically exciting for them not to succeed.

From prim, knee-length pencil skirts paired with black-seamed stockings and butterfly collar blouses to swingy cropped jackets, Death by Drone can do it all. But their specialty, the thing they do better than any other new designer, is reinterpreting the poetry of Dr. Seuss …read more