34th Street Weekend Picks: Banana Republic, Fossil, Zumiez, Mango

Banana Republic

Take 40% off sale items for a limited time. Look for maxi dresses in the back of the second floor, and wide-leg denim in the middle of the store. Men's, too, has a huge selection of sale items. 17 West 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Got this denim for under $35. The perfect black sweater is also on sale.

Fossil

Pretty, happy summer bags on sale! It's their semi-annual sale, with up to 30% off all new markdowns.  38 West 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Zumiez

Select items are buy one get one 50% off. Look for beanies, fun tees, and other select accessories. 15 West 34th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Mango

Up to 70% off select items! There are a lot of racks on sale at Mango, with a lot of adorable merchandise, including these cute shorts and totally whack (in a great way) lightweight jackets. 7 West 34th Street just west of Fifth Avenue

Fossil for Spring

The Fossil boutique is always perfection on 34th Street, but I am often remiss in posting Fossil stories as I don't do "dressing room" shots theres. So here are some accessory picks from their spring'12 lookbook, all classic and retro with 2012 upgrades. I think the sharply-hued watches are a good place to start.

Fossil 38 West 34th Street

Fossil Preview for Summer & Fall 2011: The Shoes & Watches

The Fossil previews are always so stocked full of goodies, it takes two days to post my picks!  Yesterday was bags, and today is shoes and watches, most of which should be found in the 34th Street store come summer and fall.

Easily, I thought, my favorite boot. I adore the heel. I'll take it in the neutral and dark brown.

 

But then I saw this braided trim boot with that really cool low heel, and now I'm torn.


So we will move on to short booties. There are others, but the pony and grey ankle height really grabbed me.There goes the boot budget.

 

Always the silver brogues. But I'd do the other, too, if I could.

 

The guys also have some tough choices. The canvas chukka is a great September/October boot.

 


Adore, adore, the white, orange, and yellow. And what, you don't wear a watch anymore?! You're totally missing out! Go Luddite, stop looking at your iPhone for the time of day, and put something pretty on your wrist. I say this with great faith because Fossil gifted previewers with a gorgeous Michele watch at their event, and I'm totally back and hooked on the timepiece.

Fossil 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Fossil Preview for Summer & Fall 2011: The Bags

It's so easy to lead with animal print. This bag was one of my favorites at the Fossil preview I attended last week. It's oozing old-school, animal print charm.

It's tough to pick a favorite, but all of these represent Fossil's strength in bags: consistent selection in the classics, practical shapes in whimsical colors, and always a gorgeous new print every season (see animal and flower above).

 

Look for these in the 34th Street Fossil store this summer and fall.

Fossil 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Borrowing From the Boys: Fossil for Summr

Fossil: the perfect 34th Street store for Boy Borrowing. For a year during his internship, I admired Intern Craig's Fossil man bag (picture to follow, as soon as I run down to 34th Street and beg him to pose). And here, for Summer 2011, Fossil has done it again:

Bag is $248. Long Live Vintage!

I must have the Boy Borrowing Fever, because this is looking really really good to me, too:

Top is $54, jeans are $98. It's just so simple and perfect for the boys, can't we borrow them for a bit?

Fossil 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Long Live Art at Fossil 34th Street

Long live art, indeed. I love it that Fossil has, in this day of computers, the Internets, and everything digital, teamed up with a group of artists to celebrate vintage art forms and handicraft techniques of the pre-iObsessed world. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone. But hearing that "ding" that tells me I've got an email often induces anxiety, whereas this just makes me want to chill:

This porcelain planter is by ceramicist Paige Russell ($50). Lucky me, I share an office with our Bryant Park/34th Street horticulturist, Maureen Hackett, and when I showed her this she said "It'd be great for little succulents." The planter is 5.5 by 6 inches, and, because of the shape, Maureen recommends planting it with anything linear, including pencils till you buy yourself some grasses or cacti. I'm now trying to get Maureen to do a horticulture/home blog. But back to Fossil and some of its other artists...

Dolan Geiman T-shirt, $28. Geiman is a vintage-inspired artist who often works with found mediums.The limited-edition tote, $78, is by Hatch Show Print, one of the oldest working letterpress operations in America.















You can learn more about the artists here. Visit the store on 34th Street where these and more should be available soon.

Updated to add: The Paige Russell porcelain planter & Yellow Owl Workshop stamp kit and tote should be in the 34th Street store by 9/3. The Hatch Show Print & Dolan Geiman items will be in 34th Street on 7/25.


Fossil, 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Fossil for Fall: On Your Arm and on Your Feet

These are a selection of a much bigger collection, of course, but you should be seeing it all in the 34th Street Fossil store come August and September (don't forget the Justin boots will be arriving in store the end of July).

Yeah, I want that leopard buckle shoe.





















If you like birds, look for this motif on all sizes of bags this fall. Little clutches, too. But move fast, this laptop bag is a best-seller at Macy's.














Click to view some of my favorites from the "key" collection of bags. And I want those boots (lighter color, I think).


















Quilted, but not like-your-grandma-quilted bags. And that red bag on top is the color I want for cowboy boots.
















Of course, clogs! You have to get a clog, you have no choice. And I knew I was going to have to regret my Western eye-roll. But which color?












Fossil, 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th

Explore Summer at Fossil 34th Street

If it's Fossil for summer, so you know it's going to look vintage. And this year, it's vintage exploring the great outdoors. Which is where I always think I want to go until the words "tent," "camp stove," and "sleeping bag" make me check out. Or, rather, check in to the nearest hotel hopefully free of insects and rigged with working plumbing, restaurant, and bar.

But that doesn't mean I don't wear rugged outdoors. Here are some of my picks from the summer press kit. They'll be coming into the Fossil boutique on 34th Street later this month and in April.



I'll start with the least obvious outdoorsy choice, the neon bling watch. Adore the orange. May not seem vital for an exploration, but it's all about the safety orange. You're not getting poached by some amateur hunter while wearing this watch ($85).








Probably my favorite of all the watches ($95), I love the interchangeable canvas straps ($25 each), especially the bumblebee stripes.







All about the braid, which really gives a black watch ($85) some style. And you'll be able to choose from a decent selection of skin looks ($75) to go with all those python bags and shoes you've got in your closet.












Bags. I'm partial to the tan and mustard totes ($198).












And yes to the brown thongs ($39) and the grey sunglasses. The red frames are tempting, too. And for $55 it doesn't kill you when you lose them while out spelunking, rock climbing, or leave them sitting in the backseat of a yellow cab.












Fossil, 38 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Fossil Footwear Launch

Brand new, vintage-inspired Fossil shoes are coming to 34th Street on August 10th, and I can tell you they are not just chic but also comfortable. We've been test-running a couple pairs around the office and here's the verdict:

The peep-toe slingbacks ($98) are surprisingly comfortable. I'm pregnant and doomed to wear slip-ons for bad, bloated, 200 lb. gorilla days, yet I enjoy putting these on in the office and walking around tall once again. Others were at first a little scared of the chunky heel (they are the chunkiest heel in the collection), but for me it was like communing with wise old chunky heels of yore: soulmates reunited. Sure, we make a little noise together, but it's just that solid wooden heel letting everyone know I'm coming through the kitchen.

The flats ($78) were picked immediately by Lindsey. Some in the office did not like the open, strappy back, but Lindsey and I were smitten. It's a nice design twist for a round-toe flat. Lindsey wore them all weekend, loved them, then admitted that the back rubbed a bit during her test run. But the flats are brand-new, and Lindsey was the first to break them in. I'm betting for the long haul they'll behave beautifully.

These quality leather shoes are typical Fossil: classic details with modern twists, well-made, and not priced sky-high. View the entire Fossil shoe collection here (men's too, love these), and be sure to look for them in the 34th Street store at Herald Square on August 10th. I'll finish with a little look at my favorite boots from the site, which is almost all the boots in the collection. Great for city wear ($225, $138, $198). Ready for the upcoming boot shopping season?










Fossil, 38 W. 34th between 5th & 6th