Style It: Shoes and the City -- Charlotte

Cosabella lingerie has issued the official undergarments for the new Sex and the City movie and our good friends over at Isabella Fine Lingerie are stocking them. Each week, we will show another lingerie collection and have you style it. All comments with links to shoes in our catalog will be entered to win a personal, 20% discount! Last week we accessorized the Miranda. This week we turn our eye to the feminine Charlotte!

The collection is a blend of girly femininity and casual, elegant sexuality. Eternally optimistic, light and comfortable, the Charlotte collection is made from a blend of ultra-soft modal and eco-friendly bamboo fiber.

We chose to match this with shoes that were eternally stylish without sacrificing comfort or falling victim to trends.

We chose shoes by Progetto, Enzo Angiolini, Caparros and Poetic Licence.

And now we want to know how you would style it. Take a look below, read up on the rules and start styling, you maven you!

The rules: Find a shoe in our online store that best compliments the Charlotte collection. Link to it in the comments of this post and describe why you chose what you chose. Style-a-thon ends Saturday, 31 May at midnight; we'll post the winning pairing the following week. Winner gets a private code for 20% off their next online purchase at Lori's. Happy styling!

Style It: Shoes and the City -- Miranda

As you all know, Cosabella lingerie has issued the official undergarments for the new Sex and the City movie and our good friends over at Isabella Fine Lingerie are stocking them. Each week, we will show another lingerie collection and have you style it. All comments with links to shoes in our catalog will be entered to win a personal, 20% discount! We started last week with the Samantha. This week we turn our eye to the willowly Miranda!

The collection is a blend of cosmopolitan confidence with a hidden soft side. Made of tulle with a contrasting scalloped lace trim, it's sexy under careerwear and killer in more intimate settings.

We chose shoes by Jeffrey Campbell, Calvin Klein, Gastone Lucioli and Seychelles that have professional leanings with a bit of glam and after-hours fun thrown in.

And now we want to know how you would style it. Take a look below, read up on the rules and start styling, you maven you!



The rules: Find a shoe in our online store that best compliments the Samantha collection. Link to it in the comments of this post and describe why you chose what you chose. Style-a-thon ends Saturday, 17 May at midnight; we'll post the winning pairing the following week. Winner gets a private code for 20% off their next online purchase at Lori's. Happy styling!

Bored of War? Try the Semaphore.

We wrote recently about the prayer scarf craze that was sweeping the stores. Seems like prayers aren't the only things in demand: anything that puts the brakes on this mad, mad, mad, mad world seems decidedly "in." The latest resurrection is an classic: the peace symbol, which began its life not quite how many Americans remember.

Turn back the clock to a chilly, gray Good Friday 1958 and English protesters were marching on Aldermaston, the countryside farm town where Britain built its nuclear weapons. Gerald Holtom, a designer and artist, convinced the Direct Action Committee (DAC) against Nuclear War's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to brand their protest with a visual symbol. Bearing in mind Goya's Spanish rebels and merging the semaphore initials for "N"uclear "D"isarmament, the well-known symbol was born. New life was breathed into the symbol when it became the standard for protest in America during the Viet Nam War.

With conflict and disaster seemingly de rigueur, it is only appropriate that this old chestnut becomes again au courant. The Raj peace sign scarves have an all-over peace pattern on sheer fabric. Wear them on mild days over basic colors for a visual pop and billowy silhouette. And some big sunglasses, as big as you can get. The scarf is easily one of your most important and versatile wardrobe accessories. We recommend spending some time on the knotting; Europeans get this.

(You will absolutely drive us to tears if you buy this scarf and wrap it around your neck like you are half-hitching a horse to the post. Display this scarf proudly. Let it rope and flow around your shoulders. A good scarf knot defines your look and edges your chin and jawline, highlights your neck and shoulders, and visually ties together your whole ensemble. Let it carry your wardrobe. Match it to your shoes or purposefully mismatch it to be achingly fashionable.)

The peace sign has also been cropping up in rings, necklaces and bags. We're wondering if the Bush Administration's warmongering isn't helping push fashion into a hippie chic revival as a generation after X starts to care again about how we are conducting ourselves in the world. Look for smiley faces, vibrant colors (if not tie-dye ... please) and other Age of Aquarius motifs to surface throughout summer.

Sex and the City: Samantha Winner

We have a winner! We've picked Diana's red strappy number by Kenneth Cole as a perfect compliment to the sultry Samantha collection. We like the bold sass of these heels and the caged ankle. Mee-ow!

Stay tuned this week for a new collection lingerie and shoe pairing based on a different character from Sex and the City the movie premiering May 30. Style the lingerie with your own pick from our catalog and link to it in the comments for that post and you will be entered to win a personal, private, online shopping discount.

No more pre-purchase for Parma

Hi everybody,

Just a quick note that we are not accepting pre-purchases for the Calvin Klein Parma. We do not want to run the risk of overselling our order, so we have removed this option. Thanks so much for your excitement about this wonderful shoe!

We've received word from Calvin Klein that we should receive the shoes on June 10, at which time we will immediately fulfill the pre-orders.

Best,

Lori's

Oprah's Top Picks for Summer: Fit-Flops

They say that great minds think alike, so we're flattered Lori and Oprah are sisters of a thought: both love fit-flops, the casual kicker that gives you a workout and a comfortable conveyance in the same, sporty package. Oprah has picked them as one of her favorite things for summer and Lori has ordered several styles. The WalkStar in red (shown) looks like an ordinary platform thong flipflop; the secret lies in a tripartite, multple-density foam footbed that works your leg and butt muscles while providing support and sturdy toe for a brisker push-off.

The official line is that they are "engineered with a multi-density midsole that stimulates your muscles more while you're wearing them. In independent University testing, FitFlops have been shown to trigger increased gluteal muscle response, increased hamstring response, increased rectus femoris (thigh) response and increased calf muscle response." The Philidelphia ABC afiliate reviewed them and reported that while the fitness component was no substitute for real exercise, they were some damned comfortable sandals.

Regardless anything that lets us pretend to exercise without having to, well, exercise is close enough for us ... especially if it comes in such a cute retro-sporty package. (It makes us think .... "Lacoste.") We see them as perfect for the beach, the tennis courts, or really any activity that involves sun and fun.

WalkStars should be available in late May with other styles following soon thereafter.

Style It: Shoes and the City -- Samantha

Cosabella lingerie has issued the official undergarments for the new Sex and the City movie and our good friends over at Isabella Fine Lingerie are stocking them. Of course, we immediately set out to pair shoes to each. We're starting with the Samantha, described in the official literature as "designed in French Chantilly style lace with fine, micro-dot mesh."

So we chose some shoes that represented Samantha's confident sexuality -- womanly and worldy, aggressive, yet coy, with the faintest touch of feminine frills.

And now we want to know how you would style it. Take a look below, read up on the rules and start styling, you maven you!

The rules: Find a shoe in our online store that best compliments the Samantha collection. Link to it in the comments of this post and describe why you chose what you chose. Style-a-thon ends Saturday, 17 May at midnight; we'll post the winning pairing the following week. Winner gets a private code for 20% off their next online purchase at Lori's. Happy styling!

Also, check out Fab Sugar's Who Wore It Better contest on the Balenciaga Blue and Green Gladiator Sandal, referencing Sex and the City and Sarah Jessica Parker.

UPDATE (05-19-08): We have a winner! We've picked Diana's red strappy number by Kenneth Cole as a perfect compliment to the sultry Samantha collection. We like the bold sass of these heels and the caged ankle. Mee-ow!

Roman Holiday

They're calling it a new trend for 2008, but we all know that ever since Gladiator dream-boy Russell Crowe donned his togs, gladiator sandals have had the green light. Hell, any shoe style that's been around since Caesar crossed the Rubicon has to have something going for it.




We like gladiators because they are a perfect foundation (or, should we say ... tabula rasa?) upon which to build a great summer look. The simple open strap construction and heel cup can take myriad embellishments and turn out a great look.




What you get out of a gladiator is something ancient -- a certain, simple caged sexiness of feet bound in thongs -- that contains yet reveals your feet and ankles. Typically a piece of strapping running up the midfoot from toes to mid-leg draws attention to delicate ankles, leg length, insteps and toes. This buckles to the heel strapping, which points out your calf muscles and provides a secure fit. Because so much of your foot remains revealed, they are perfect under a mid-length skirt with some volume to it; the naked foot look will help make your whole outfit lighter while lending a touch of complexity.

The thin profile of these sandals are ripe for embellishment. Jeffrey Campbell's summer assortment uses fringe, beading and distressed dyes to highlight the foot. Dolce Vita's more straightforward take is sexed up with a late-century kitten heel while Enzo Angiolini uses a broad top piece to highlight the gorgeous red of its sandal.

So save up your denarii and grab a pair for summer.

We’ve been seeing a lot of the larger trends like yellows, turquoises and patent do well but one that took off (and took us by surprise) was the prayer scarf. Remember the pashmina craze a couple years ago? It’s like that, only with more love and peace and optimism (and style) involved. Unlike pashminas, these scarves are a more manageable size, come in engaging patterns with sewn details and are a much more versatile accessory.

Sir Alistair Rai, by Kiran Rai, kickstarted the trend by co-opting the Tibetan khata (a ceremonial scarf offered at the start of a relationship to indicate goodwill and positivity) and hand-embroidering it with feel-good prescriptions of “Love,” “Peace” and “Faith.” Throwing in the color scheme of Tibetan prayer scarves (representing the five elements of earth, air, water, fire and sky) and Sanskrit patterning, these scarves become a microcosm of Tibetan heritage, spreading a codified message of understanding and compassion through fashion. They’ve since been spotted on a range of young celebs such as Jessica Alba, Nicole Ritchie, Ashlee Simpson and the like.

Scarves are an essential wardrobe item because they are so versatile. These prayer scarves, with their festive colors and embroidered detail, are fantastic for gussying up an outfit when you don’t feel like putting in the effort. They are perfect for seasonal transitions or micro-climate locales like San Francisco where weather changes are unpredictable and sudden. Wear them instead of a jacket for quick jaunts, or with a light coat for extended walks out of doors. Lastly, the sheer fabric lends itself to delicate layering and folds, giving additional texture and character to anything from a plain tee to business attire. And in a time of seemingly unending conflict (are we fighting Eurasia ... or Eastasia?), what better look to promulgate than peace, love and understanding?

Yellow Patent is the New ... uh, Black Patent.

Patent leather is nothing new, though 2008 has found it a very popular finish. Combine that with the Spring trends of light, natural and yellow and you end up with some pretty interesting shoes. Yellow Patent! We love this look; it's so ... much that you have to pay attention. Here are some of our faves and why:

Jessica Bennett Forli: The Maximalist
These hot numbers are an instant scene-stealer. Yellow patent with teal patent trim lined in gold, topped with a buckle and set on a stacked wooden heel? Subtle this is not. It's ultra-maximalist so pair it with a relatively simple outfit or let them just peep out from some longer, darker clean jeans. The darker denim texture and bagging at the ankle will contrast nicely with the slick jaune of this 'Jane toe and make the teal just sing.

Franco Sarto: The Mod
A kittenish slingback with a chunky heel, this pale yellow patent shoe will be a summer classic. The spare lines and subdued yellow with white banding are the ground for a popping black button. Pair these up with a darker skirt at the knee or above -- aim to match the button to establish a visual continuity which lengthens your legs. The sling will draw attention to your lovely ankles and the round toe is a simple, understated finish.


Pour La Victorie: Beach Glam
Yellow patent topper with white piping and antique gold strappies. Closed heel. Leather sole. Slightly gladiator, slightly Dallas, the Nanette should dress up a casual outfit -- shorts, bathing suit, sari -- and declare '80s yuppie decadence. (The level of irony is completely at your discretion; we opt for none: the full embrace.

What Would Yul Wear?

Yellow is a central color for the Spring '08 season. But we think Frost penned it best when he declared that "Nature's first green is gold." And whilst it's true that it may be "the hardest hue to hold," we think with a little bit of savvy and a right good dollop of confidence, you too can sport this look without sinking into grief.

To make it easier, we'll make a game of it. Call it "What Would Yul Wear?" As the King Mongkut of Siam, Yul Brynner cuts a famous rug with Deborah Kerr ... but the poor man's got no shoes! While we dig the gold ankle cuffs and the velvet jumper with gold studs, this boy needs some appropriate footies for his next waltz.

Herewith: a selection of Yul-tastic gold candidates for your inspiration and vote. Watch the clip and comment on your choice (below) for this emperor's new clogs. The winner will bask in the satisfaction that revisionist cultural populism in the service of the marketplace lives on in the blogosphere.

And should this fail to win you over to the gold standard, just remember that Fall '08 is a new season and we're quite sure "nothing gold can stay." At least until Spring 2009.

We Totes Love the Earth

OK, cheesy blog post title, but it's Earth Day and we had to force something in there. The content of this post is much less awkward because we're giving away free things!

Lori's has partnered up with Jeffrey Campbell to give away reusable J.C. tote bags with every shoe purchase until our supplies are gone. (P.S.: supplies are limited.) These close-mesh bags are perfect for storing about four boxes of shoes, filling in as a dustbag, carting around your daily miscellany or even a trip to the local grocery.

It's a popular movement. Whole Foods has their "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign, having eliminated plastic bags from its stores, and we've seen similar efforts with Lululemon's laminated fabric bag and a heavy canvas tote from Lush that reflects their packaging reduction manifesto (read: press release).

So here's the question: are reusable bags too much of a good thing? How many bags do you need around the house? Don't get us wrong: we love our Campbell bags because they are perfect for toting shoes hither and yon; we're biased. But still: leave a comment and share your thoughts on the demise of plastic bags and the rise of their supposedly more socially and ecologically responsible replacements.

Jewelry: From the Ground Up

As fashion designers obsess about pale and natural color palettes this season, jewelry designers have followed suit with collections inspired by a blossoming world in springtime. Naturally chic looks this spring incorporate stones, wood, foliage and other such cues from flora and fauna. As Earth Day approaches, show your awareness by sporting an aesthetic drawn from Mother Nature herself!

The designers behind Blue Wild Indigo believe nature’s gemstones, woods and precious metals beat any man-made materials. Their newest designs feature fish, birds and poppy flowers hand-cut from Sterling silver and set on rich walnut grounds.

Tashi’s flights of fancy include a delicate Sterling silver sparrow perched on a branch and a colorful peacock pendant inspired by vintage designs.

Meanwhile Pieces of a Girl and A.V. Maxx have crafted wonderful layering pieces incorporating the silhouettes of daisies, lilies and leaves delicately suspended against a gorgeous citrine.

As long as we keep the rainforests up and the extinction rate down, these bits of nature-inspired will remain be au currant. After all, with five billion years of design trial and error, Mother Earth’s got a pretty good handle on making things that stick. (Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22, 2008).

Pre-purchase Calvin Klein PARMA

We posted a few days ago about the return of the Parma - that shoe phenomenon which sold out as soon as we received it - and pre-selling availability. Well, that time has come.

Parma is available for pre-purchase.

We are receiving full size runs in black, taupe and gunmetal. All our stock is available for pre-purchase (not pre-order), meaning we will charge your card when you place the order. This is to help ensure we do not oversell and disappoint anyone. We're expecting the shoe to drop (heh) June 1-15.

This immensely popular shoe was featured in Calvin Klein's national ad campaign and has been a sellout ever since. We think CK really hit the nail on the head with this number which has a hidden platform to give the illusion of height without actually making you teeter.

For some reason we picture Tina Turner as Aunt Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome wearing these to a formal in Bartertown. They've got that straps-on-straps, vampy future-chic thing going on without looking over the top ... which is a good thing. We might not need another hero, but a new pair of heels is never a bad idea.

Tiny Steps

We over at Lori's were slightly aghast at the images of traditional foot bindings that crossed our inbox this morning. Gender and cultural issues aside (and, yes, that's a big aside), it got us to talking in the office about comfort. That led to an excoriation of the friends of the friends of the friends of the friends who forwarded it to us. But then that led to a discussion about what our most favorite, most casual line was in the store. We came up with two.

Palladium (Denham pictured right) got a number of votes for their simple wear, forgiving toe and easy on-and-off. Super comfort, no frills, but smart enough for weekender errands.

Several dissented, citing the jauntier sport-chic of Privos by Clark (Monty shown left). These guys dress the same comfort and quality in a more athletic frame with extra detailing. They look great under jeans, shorts or casual bottoms.

Lori claimed the floor and declared us all correct and the store was at peace once again.

Nina News

Nina's no new kid on the block (they've been around since 1953), but their Spring/Summer '08 collection is definitely hangin' tough. The '80s rule in this collection that cites such luminaries as Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, Jerry Hall and Deborah Harry; and luminous textures as gloss, popping metallics-on-metallics and bright colors. This collection sits where "disco [is turning] into punk": the whirling admixture of glam and bricolage, society and defiance that defined a decade.

The look is certainly taking. Nina is the official shoe for tonight's Miss USA 2008 competition. Look for the Vikki sandal during the swimsuit competition and the Cason during the opening presentation. The line has been touted in Life & Style, "America's Prom Queen" on ABC, People magazine and Brides magazine. AOL's "stylelist" covered our very own Alayna (above, in fuschia).

Our collection of strappy-strap sandals and cute peeptoes are totally eighties and a great way to kick off the summer. Take a look at what's online and enjoy the weekend!

Parma's on! New Shipments in June

Yes! The Calvin Klein Parma is coming back. This immensely popular strappy platform was a huge hit thanks to CK highlighting it in their national ad campaign. But the real success of this shoe? The hidden platform -- the raised upper around the toes that creates a false sense of height -- that lengthens your legs and a padded leather insole. Height without teetering, comfort without effort. This balances the 4-3/4" heel for a chic sandal that gives you knock-their-socks-off legs. Did we mention the Napa leather?
We're expecting our new shipment to drop in early June and we hope to be able to pre-sell them shortly. Supplies will be limited, so please watch our Calvin Klein page for updates.

Spring Scarves are in!

This spring, we're shrugging off our bulky jackets and exchanging our oversized necklaces for stylish scarves.

It's the hottest accessory of the moment, and with a variety of ways to twist and tie them, you can get a lot of wear out of just one.

Some of our favorites? V. Fraas and Echo offer several options for spicing up your spring wardrobe. Simply twist, wrap, or tie, and voila! Instant diva.

Lori's Hinsdale Anniversary

Lori's Hinsdale is proud to announce our One Year Anniversary this month! To show thanks to our valued customers and friends, we are inviting you to celebrate with us.

Join us at Lori's Hinsdale on March 20th between 4pm and 8pm, and enjoy 20% off all purchases over $100. With an exquisite collection bursting with brand new spring styles, this opportunity is not to be missed!

Ladies' Nite Out in Naperville

Attention Stylish Naperville Ladies.

Ladies' Nite Out is March 13th, from 4pm-9pm!

So get your shopping shoes on, head to www.naperville.net to check out the list of participating merchants, and prepare to redeem you Downtown Naperville Gift Certificates.

Make sure to stop by Lori's Naperville location, where we are excited to offer 20% off all sale items, and 10% off all full-price items.

See you there!