Seattle Shopper blog

I'm pleased to announce that Styled.Seattle blog will, for the most part, be moving over to a new home at the Seattle PI. Starting next week, I will write the Seattle Shopper blog, featuring shopping tips, fashion advice, and spotlights on my favorite stores. Because there are only so many hours in the day, the new blog will get most of my attention (I have grand plans to update it almost daily). However, I will continue to post outfit ideas here on a weekly basis. Please add Seattle Shopper to your feeds, and wish me luck!

Thanks,
Darcy

urban jungle

I'm ALWAYS weary of thematic trends. Nautical, for example, generally feels very costumey to me (probably because I'm not a boat person, so I feel like a poser).

I admit, I was hesitant to explore the whole Safari thing. On the surface it seems harmless enough: a little khaki never hurt anyone, and I DO adore leopard print (who doesn't?)...still, I questioned, "will I look chic? or will I look like Indiana Jones' crazy sister?"

I didn't become a true convert until I had to adapt a Safari look for a recent episode of NWA. I had more than a little help from my lovely friends at Marios; we built a sophisticated look around the sleekest, splurge-worthy Dolce & Gabbana leopard print jacket ever. The result was gorgeous and slightly edgy. So perfect.

Now I'm sold, and I urge everyone to explore Safari. Here are some tips to help you venture safely:
Tip 1: only one animal per outfit. Think of it this way: if a leopard encountered a zebra in the wild, the result would be pretty gruesome and ugly. That translates to fashion!
Tip 2: Pair your bold pieces with sleek basics. For NWA, we paired the Dolce coat with classic black pants, simple black heels and a crisp white shirt.
Tip 3: Don't forget to add color! A pop of bright turquoise or red (think shoes, jewelry or bags) will make your outfit come alive.

I created some looks here to get you started: Safari for casual weekend, professional work attire, and glam cocktail! Enjoy!

biker chic

I found the fiercest leather jacket in the world. 

I've been envisioning this exact jacket for about a year and a half: cropped black biker jacket, with a side zip and a wide collar. Yummy leather.  Chic as opposed to punk (because, really, who am I kidding trying to look punk?).

I was prepared to shell out a pretty penny, if and when this mythical jacket appeared in my life. I've been dutifully combing the inventory at Mario's, Barney's and Nordstrom (as well as my favorite consignment stores and vintage hot spots), and I had all but given up hope until I found it last month! My dream jacket! Hanging on a wall at Nordstrom TBD. The fit was perfect, and the price was even better ($298. For leather!).

I've been proudly sporting this jacket around town. I even wore it on NWA (even though it was about 87 degrees in the studio that day). And, I'm not kidding, every time I wear it, at least 2 people come up to me and say, "I've been looking for a jacket like that for years! Where did you get it?" 

I'll tell you: you can get it at Nordstrom.com. And--GUESS WHAT--it's even on sale now for $177.90. Rock on.

how to tie a neck scarf

Long scarves are my favorite Spring Transition fashion accessories. They add interest, color, and texture to almost every outfit. And even the cheap ones look great. I love a light, gauzy scarf worn with a structured blazer or a drapey sweater. And who can resist the perfect contrast of a delicate scarf over an edgier piece, like a fierce leather jacket? Divine.

Thanks to some great deals at Old Navy, Urban Outfitters and J.Crew, my scarf collection grew substantially this weekend, and I can't wait to find more creative ways to integrate pattern and bright colors into my closet. 

If you've been avoiding scarves because you simply don't know how to wear them, fear not! There's no single "right way" to tie a scarf, but there is one simple technique that always works. Lloyd Boston recently showed Oprah: click here to watch.

MAR10 spells MARIO'S

Mario's helps you save the world, one Manolo at a time. 

"MAR10 spells MARIO'S," a 10 day shopping event to benefit The Coyote Central Foundation in Seattle, kicks off this Saturday. 

Here's the scoop (all proceeds from these activities benefit the charity):

• Beginning this Saturday, March 1, everyone who spends $200 or more receives 10% back in the form of a Mario's gift card, valid only on March 10.
  
• Also on March 10, customers will get to spin the Mario's prize roulette wheel to win merchandise from Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani Collezioni and more. Every spin is a win, and Mario's is giving away over $50,000 in prizes. 
  
• Customers will receive a special "Mar 10 spells Mario's" t-shirt when they make a donation to the Coyote Central Foundation, a cool org. that provides mentorship and "creative learning opportunities" to junior high-schoolers.

So, when you buy that pair of shoes that cost more than a month's rent, you can self-soothe by repeating this line to yourself: "it's for the children, it's for the children." 

top of the food chain

In the harsh world of retail, shoppers can be divided into two categories: Gatherers and Hunters.

Gatherers are perfectly satisfied grazing through the racks of new Spring merchandise, wracking up hefty credit card bills as they methodically hand-pick their favorite pieces, sparing no expense for quality (and quantity!) from their favorite designers.

Hunters, on the other hand, take a more merciless, cutthroat approach.

Forget Survival of the Fittest; more like Survival of the Hippest.

I am a Hunter. A cold, calculating Hunter who pillages* bargain bins, clearance racks, and outlet malls. With fierce resolve, I attack my Spring shopping with one simple, yet unyielding principle: I want all the current trends, and I refuse to pay full price for anything.

*ok, so I'm a hunter and a pirate, apparently. You get the idea.

Granted, upholding this principle is not easy. It takes patience and more than a little practice to sniff out the sales. But trust me, once you get your first taste of a delicious deal, it's hard to turn back.

And now, with a little help from ClayValet, I can finally conquer a new realm: online shopping. 

I recently took my meaty list of Spring must-haves and threw it to a new pack of wolves, the ClayValet shoppers. The catch? everything MUST be under $100. Here's what they came up with (NOTE: most of these finds were so good, we featured them on Northwest Afternoon):

1. crisp white women's dress shirt that never has to be ironed

2. thin belt in a bright color

3. fun, funky flats with a little sparkle

4. dark denim trousers

5. turquoise necklace

Bottom line: if you're looking for a fierce deal this season, try ClayValet. Because, if you're not a born Hunter--or even if you are!--it never hurts to enlist someone else to make your kill for you. You can still take all the credit.

I think Darwin would be proud.

that's rich

Anyone who knows me well*, knows that my love of bath & beauty products is surpassed only by my love of chocolate. 

So, you can imagine how delighted I was yesterday when Northwest Afternoon took me to the Northgate Gene Juarez (which, incidentally is where I get my hair done every 4 weeks) for a special Valentine's Day gift idea segment featuring their new chocolate-themed treatments and services.

I highly recommend the Massage de Chocolate and the Triple Chocolate Pedicure. Apparently, topically-applied chocolate has amazing heath benefits: antioxidant-rich chocolate helps protect skin from free radicals, exfoliates to increase moisture and smoothness, and works to decrease redness from dry, flaky skin. Chocolate's aroma is also said to decrease stress.

As if I needed multiple reasons to get on board with this idea! Please, you had me at "chocolate."

Also hopping on the cocoa treatment bandwagon: my favorite pedi-parlor Julep, near U-Village. I'm booking my Ultimate Chocolate Experience Pedicure this weekend, and I encourage everyone to treat themselves (and their friends) to a little sweet pampering this Valentine's Day.

*And no one knows me better than my best friend KIM LODDEKE, who wanted to see her name printed in this blog. Happy Valentine's Day, Kim!