Category Archives: Technology

Get this app, like, now: Poshmark. And come to their party in Beverly Hills tomorrow night.

By Erin Weinger on February 1, 2012

As someone who fancies herself  a tech nerd, my life has vastly improved since buying an iPhone (minus the fact that I can’t seem to grasp typing on the thing and people often think I’m drunk at inappropriate times of the day).  With the addition of Spotify, Siri and all of my new toy’s genius features, I now also have the ability to download a wonderful array of apps that, too, have changed my life for the better.

And one such fashion app is Poshmark, a completely brilliant way to sell the clothes and accessories that no longer fit in your closet. Using your Facebook account as your log-in, Poshmark (which is free) allows you to take a picture of an an item, price it and post if for Poshmark users to see. The community in general or just your Poshmark followers can then like your item, share it to their social networks and, if you’re having a lucky day, buy it. Poshmark then facilitates your payment and sends you shipping labels, all for a 20 percent piece of the action (the figure may seem high, but Wasteland and Buffalo Exchange technically take 65 percent of what they get for your goods). The thing is so easy to use, that I literally listed a vintage pink lace dress while standing on a street corner the other day.

Vintage blouses, Herve Leger bandage dresses and Gucci pumps are just a few of the on-app items currently yours for the taking. And the company has even set up virtual  ”Posh Parties” so users can come together and shop for specifically-themed goods at certain times.  Come tomorrow night, the Silicon Valley-based company, which officially launched in December, will hit up L.A. for their first ever live Posh Party, taking place at the Crescent Hotel in Beverly Hills (which SSLA’s very own Emili Vesilind and, ahem, yours truly will be hosting).

From 6 to 9 p.m., come join us for a drink and learn how this cool piece of technology — which has the potential of supplementing your income in a very real way —  works. Can’t make it? Fret not — the party will of course take place in the virtual world, too, so download the app and check it out.

And if you want to buy my vintage pink lace dress — which is just $35 on Poshmark now — I won’t stop you.

 

Thursday, February 2. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Crescent Hotel, 403 N. Crescent Dr., Beverly Hills. RSVP to: rsvp@poshmark.com

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Website of the week: ClosetRich.com, part personal styling service/part consignment e-shop from Rachel Zoe ex-pat Elizabeth Kott

By Erin Weinger on August 8, 2011

What proper fashion girl doesn’t have bags of old clothes laying in her closets, hallway and car trunk just waiting to be sold or donated? (This fashion girl counts her parents house, a Culver City storage locker and un-used kitchen cabinets as clothing, uh, storage, too.)

Elizabeth Kott, Rachel Zoe’s former manager of marketing and digital content, knows that there are plenty of stylish hoarders to be found. And Closet Rich, her just-launched website, proves it.

The site is designed to turn the standard consignment shop business model on its head, with Kott personally visiting the closets of clients (complimentary, we might add) to peruse their wardrobes for sellable gear. Garb that happens to have a special somethin’ somethin’ — say a designer label, on-trend look or vintage birthday — gets photographed for sale on the website, with clients getting a 50 percent cut when the piece sells.

Items that aren’t exactly right for Kott’s clotheshorse customer base get donated to the Hollywood chapter of Dress for Success, an organization that helps outfit underprivileged women as they embark on careers. And of course, if there’s stuff that clients don’t want to part with, Kott will offer her expert opinion on the art of altering, tailoring and making wardrobes feel current.

“I’m a therapist for their closets,” she joked on the phone earlier today.

Kott began the business after an epiphany had while helping her grandmother move earlier this year. “Your stuff owns you. And there’s a clarity of mind that comes from making room to only have what you need.”

Her new venture is bringing zen to some seriously stylish closets, including that of Kristen Reiter, a close friend who co-authors the way popular blog BleachBlack and is the action sports design director at Nike. According to Closet Rich’s Posterous blog, an Emporio Armani blouse from Reiter’s closet is available now for pre-order. Reiter is also a creative consultant for the site and served as its first model.

Pieces currently yours for the taking include a new pair of Lanvin sunglasses ($75), Derek Lam wood-and-leather T-strap heels ($50) and a cashmere Alexander Wang tank dress ($150), with a smattering of low-key vintage bags from Gucci, Fendi and Neiman Marcus thrown in. The site boasts eight pages of merchandise at the moment, with 140 reserve pieces being rotated in every week. And Kott is in the process of taking on new clients to ensure a constant stream of fresh meat.

“When you like clothes, all of your money is in your closet and no where else. Thats’s where your investment is,” Kott says, hitting the major twenty-something female money woe nail right on the head. “And everything else falls to the wayside. I really want to help my clients make as much of a profit as they can.”

 

closetrich.com 

 

 

Photo: Kott, right, and Reiter during their Closet Rich photo shoot. Reiter is sporting a pretty redonk pleated dress by Michon Schur, for sale on the site at$70. 

 

 

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Website of the week: Marimekko launches e-commerce

By Erin Weinger on July 21, 2011

We adore Marimekko, the Finish textile maker who, since launching in 1951, has become known for instantly-recognizable, vibrant pop-art prints.

This spring, the company opened a retail store within Crate & Barrel’s location at The Grove that mostly carries furniture. And now that the brand has launched Marimekko.com, fans can finally get their fill of colorful accessories, apparel, toys and housewares from the comfort of their couch.

The site features fruit-stamped pillows, abstract aprons, polka dotted shower curtains, dishes and makeup bags in Marimekko’s quirky, signature designs. And of course the company’s famous oversized Unikko floral — which was designed by Maija Isola in 1964, after Marimekko founder Armi Ratia claimed florals would never sell — is available on almost everything.

Though we’ve always been a fan of Marimekko’s collaborative collections (they did a line with H&M back in 2008, Manolo Blahnik heels that same year with colored square-covered Converse launching for fall), we never realized just how stellar their own apparel is.

Mod ’60s shift dresses, trippy tunics and colorful hippie prairie dresses — which range from $69 to $375 — make up the surprisingly awesome array of womenswear. There’s some pretty damn cute goods for kids, too. But since the recent acquisition of our roommate’s Beta fish is a bit too much for us to handle, we’re fine being selfish shoppers for now.

 

Photo, from left: Lasi dress, $215; Heina dress, $375; Kaste tunic, $229. marimekko.com 

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Website of the week: Scout launches e-commerce

By Erin Weinger on June 28, 2011

Scout, Joey Grana’s avante garde-meets-Cali-casual boutique in Hollywood, has finally gone digital with an e-commerce shop full of his coveted private label T-shirts, bold copper jewels and pieces from always eye-opening designers Margiela and Demeulemeester.

But the real draw here is a heart-racing selection of vintage duds (Grana is one of the founders of A Current Affair vintage marketplace, after all) — including a Comme de Garcons rag knit tank from the ’80s ($228), Roberto Fabris’ polka dot leather cropped jacket ($148) and a cream-colored, crocheted maxi skirt from the 1940s ($98). Grana has also stocked his virtual shop with a hearty selection of the easy, breezy Moroccan striped tunics, tops and dresses that Angeleno’s seem to be flocking toward at the moment, and we’re most definitely into an orange and black oversized tunic that could very well be a summer evening staple.

Best of all, shipping is free to anywhere in the world. So even if you happen to live in the vicinity of Scout’s brick-and-mortar outpost in the heart of Hollywood, you can avoid feeding the meter and take to the Internet for your fix.

 

SCOUTla.net

 

Photo: A 1960s rust suede tunic, $148. Holy hippie, Batman!

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Like taking outfit pics? Pose and Metropark want to give you a $200 shopping spree.

By Erin Weinger on April 22, 2011

One of our life goals is to one day be captured on the Jumbotron at sporting event (some people want to go to the moon, we just want 40,000 people to see us stuffing our face while seat-dancing at Staples. We dream big, no doubt). Since we don’t know who to bribe to make that happen, we’ll focus on what we can do — which is showing off our outfits to shoppers at 69 Metropark stores across the country.

The SoCal-based retail chain has partnered up with Pose, the groovy Santa Monica-headquartered shopping app we’ve mentioned before, on a three week-long contest that starts today.

Just download the free app at Pose.com, hit up any Metropark location and snap pics of your favorite in-store products, pieces and dressing room-discoveries. Your “poses” will then be displayed on those large and in-charge Plasma screens that grace Metropark stores nationwide, showing fellow consumers your stellar sense of style. Once you share your looks on Facebook or Twitter with the #MetroparkUSA hashtag, you’ll be entered to win one of six $200 gift certificates, which will be awareded to two random Posers each week.

We once happened upon some unexpectedly cool merch on a Metropark clearance rack — including a rugged, skinny leather belt for a measly ten spot. So don’t be afraid to do some digging next time you’re at the mall and show those treasures off to the masses.

We know, it isn’t exactly the Kiss Cam. But it’ll do.

Download the app here.

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“Never underestimate the appeal of a good hat.”

By Erin Weinger on January 21, 2011

While reading Deadline.com, we learned about The Man’s Guide to Love, a website and soon to be movie and book by married writers/directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett. The website, which came before all the other stuff, is a collection of slickly-shot, man-on-the-street interviews asking regular guys for their advice on love.

And the interviews — which were shot largely in L.A. with men of all ages — are downright endearing (one dude talks about how he was once too scared to kiss a girl, remembered his regret for next time, and ended up with the balls needed to kiss the woman who ultimately became his wife. Die of adorableness.).

In the “tips and tricks” section, we watched a segment with a 31 year-old fella named Brian who, like the others, was asked “If you were to pass along a piece of advice on the topic of love, what would you say?”

Brian’s answer?

“Never underestimate the appeal of a good hat.” True that. Just last week we totally made eyes with a guy who wore a checkered newsboy cap that was most definitely workin’ for him. And think of how supremely sexy it is when a man wears his favorite broken-in sports hat that he’s had forever? Good times.

It’s refreshing to be reminded just how mushy men can be. Especially in a city where prospective mates hide in your bathroom for extended periods of time, sell drugs and therefore pay for your date in cash and get violently ill in the middle of sex.

So we’ve heard.

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Pose, a new social shopping app, lets you hear from the peanut gallery before hitting the register

By Erin Weinger on January 12, 2011

Isn’t it just the best when you run into a friend who happens to be wearing something so amazing that you have to have one yourself? That is until things take a turn and she won’t tell you where it’s from (“I don’t remember.” “It’s my moms.” “Its vintage.” Sound familiar? Lies.).

Well now you don’t have to beg anyone for their shopping list thanks to Pose, a brand new shopping app that lets you see what your social network is buying.

Like a blouse from Banana Republic? Snap a phone pic, enter the price and store info and voila…your item gets added to a stream of pictures from other Pose users. Users can comment on your goods or you can use the app solely as a source of retail inspiration.

And it’s your call whether you want your item to be shared with your personal circle or the entire Pose community (as someone who frequently tries (and fails) to take dressing room photos in hopes of staving off buyers remorse, this sounds much simpler than texting a whole crew of opinionated friends).

Not so much into what a random stranger is buying at the mall? Fret not. A bevy of stylish L.A. personalities including bloggers Jazzi McGilbert, Geri Hirsch and Topsy Design owners Sam Jacober and Jared Frank have lent their stellar eyes to assist shoppers in finding cool stuff (according to the Pose blog, Sam and Jared — who we’ve written about before — recently found a cool sweater at the Rose Bowl Flea Market).

Pose, whose headquarters are based in Santa Monica, is just another shining example of how the face of shopping is changing to include a more social, tech-focused experience. And Pose looks poised to catch on within a community of savvy shoppers who love showing off their finds.

Download it free at Pose.com.

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PAPER Magazine partners with AOL on Art Basel coverage

By Erin Weinger on December 1, 2010

Those not partying it up in Miami for Art Basel this week needn’t feel left out. It seems that PAPER Magazine has entered into a content share agreement with AOL on artbasel.aol.com, a portal that will cover the week in full force.

Expect the usual coverage from these types of events: Parties, private and public gallery showings, street style galleries and interviews with notable scenesters and gallerists. And for the particularly well connected who happen to be down south this week, Pharrell Williams and Shepard Fairey will host PAPER‘s opening night bash tomorrow evening — the coverage of will, no doubt, be on the site.

The artbasel.aol.com microsite is minimalist and well designed with live-streaming social media updates and blog posts. Looks pretty cool. We’ll be checking it throughout the week to see what we’re missing.

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Website of the week: Cynthia Rowley and Bill Powers start contemporary art hub ExhibitionA.com

By Erin Weinger on November 29, 2010

a href=”http://stylesectionla.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Screen-shot-2010-11-29-at-1.16.05-PM.png”>By the time you reach your mid-twenties, it is fairly unacceptable to have frameless posters tacked up on your wall (lets be honest — that is fairly unacceptable in college as well, though we won’t hold it against anyone. At least to their face). Unfortunately it’s hard to budget for a Hirst and the framed art aisle at Bed Bath and Beyond is just gross.

Enter ExhibitionA.com, a cool new website that features exclusive editions from important contemporary artists including Richard Phillips, Nate Lowman and Terrence Koh for $500 and under. Unheard of pricing for such big names.

The site was started by Bill Powers, who you may know as Purple Magazine’s current editor-at-large, former EIC of BlackBook and a judge on Bravo’s Work of Art. Powers also owns Half Gallery in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and happens to be married to darling Chicago-born designer Cynthia Rowley, who is also involved in the site.

According to a statement, the site aims to “foster the next generation of collectors — the young and culturally-savvy who are interested in contemporary art and collecting but hereto have had no accessible options.”

We are currently figuring out options on how to pay for both a visit to the dentist and new brake pads on our car. But we love pretty things —especially ones painted by Richard Phillips that we could totally envision hanging in our otherwise dreary stairwell.

Very cool concept. Cavities be damned — we’ll be back to buy as soon as we can.

Photo: Der Bodensee by Richard Phillips, $250. PS to our loved ones that are reading — Chanukah starts in, like, a day. Just FYI.

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Our hunch was right: Google nails online shopping with boutiques.com

By Mary Frances Van Dyke on November 17, 2010

Savvy internet shoppers have a new site to bookmark today, thanks to Google’s massive foray into on-line shopping — boutiques.com. Cathy Horyn of the New York Times recently ventured to Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA to investigate the greatest thing to happen to internet shopping since sliced bread.

Well, almost.

Here are the basics: Boutiques.com has the feeling of of create-your-own-inspiration-board-site Polyvore.com, but is an e-commerce site at heart. Like Polyvore, the site features products grouped around trends and celebrities. However Google’s mini shops are both user created and created by notable stylemakers including Ginnifer Goodwin, Rashida Jones and superstylist Nicole Chavez. And the goods come from the likes of Neiman Marcus, Shopbop and downtown Manhattan favorite Kirna Zabete.

Horyn recognized that in addition to covering even more retail turf than shopstyle.com, the e-comm behemoth owned by Sugar, Inc., boutiques.com gives shoppers endless visual search options (left). Shoppers can browse very generally, or narrow their hunt by style, price, silhouette, etc.

Horyn is enthusiastic about boutiques.com, but recognizes that if you are not a novice web shopper, it could potentially be overwhelming. Bottom line, it is the only place to shop for a basic mini skirt under $45 and also the most specific shoes, like jade colored mary-jane pumps with a 3 inch heel. Our advice, take your time playing around with the site before you get frustrated.

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