IndyStar.com: Shopping & Fashion
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Backstage it's about real life, not a pose
NEW YORK — The scene backstage at a fashion show is far different from the one along the runway. Yes, it’s frantic and frenzied, but there is an intimacy behind the curtain that the audience never sees. Or didn’t see until designer...
Teens take own dresses to prom
When Karynn Johnson steps onto the dance floor at her senior prom, she won’t have to worry that any classmates will be wearing the same dress. She knows her tulle and satin dress is unique because she is designing and making it. “I...
It's not much of a stretch to like these jeans
PHILADELPHIA — The proliferation of high-end denim brought with it two fashion plagues: the muffin top and its first cousin, plumber’s pants. Muffin tops are love handles that gush over too-snug waistbands and single-handedly eviscerate...
Subtle touches bring a bit of the '80s into this century
Like it or loathe it, the ongoing love affair with all things ’80s is hard to ignore. While your personal flashbacks from the era may involve big hair and bad makeup, the current take is subtle and — dare we say it? — chic. To pull...
Celebs (and the rest of us) love Marchesa's unique creations
NEW YORK — Marchesa is a glamorous, movie-star fashion house: Its specialty is the show-stopping red carpet dresses you’re likely to see on Kate Hudson, Sienna Miller or Anne Hathaway. The gowns seem a perfect complement to the...
It's time to party like you're in Rio
Blame this one on Rio: From 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday, the Jazz Kitchen will host the biggest Brazilian Carnaval the city has ever seen. Artur Silva, a native of Brazil who grew up with Carnaval in Rio, is organizing the Indy Brazilian Carnaval....
Sporty designers put U.S. Olympians in style
Ralph Lauren look to dress up opening, closing ceremonies The American athletes at the Winter Olympics, which begin Friday and end Feb. 28, will be ambassadors for the sporty style synonymous with American fashion. The Ralph Lauren uniforms created...
Q&A: Ann Stark and Beth Mast, founders of Freakin' Billboard
Although they work in vinyl, there’s nothing plastic about Ann Stark and Beth Mast. For the past three years, they’ve been making a colorful splash in the retail world with their multicolored vinyl bags, all made from recycled...
Grunge takes on a sexier look
Nineties-era grunge, pioneered by Kurt Cobain and Co., is enjoying a bit of a revival, thanks to the fashion flock’s renewed penchant for flannel, distressed denim and edgy, rugged boots. But don’t despair, the trend doesn’t require...
Airport spa is also a craft shop
Travelers passing through Indianapolis International Airport can take a handmade memento of the city with them. Erin Humphreys, owner of Enroute Spa, has portioned off a section of her spa and massage shop to showcase a line of items —...
Handmade holiday gifts are nostalgic and timely
Remember the crocheted potholder and glitter stars made by little hands in elementary art class? Some crafters think it’s time to bring back those homespun holiday gifts. “In today’s environment, there are two things people are...
Forget sensible shoes -- exclusive shop is all about style
Oh, if only I had been able to use this video...
Just the right fit for curvy bodies
A curvy body plus a lean budget can equal real distress when shopping for jeans. “I have big thighs, I have a big butt, but I don’t have a big stomach or big waist,” said Anansa Sims, a size 12-14 model who co-stars with other...
Aviator style landing
Jackets and jumpsuits hot Before they became staples of the runway, bomber jackets, flight suits and protective aviator sunglasses were born in the cockpit of an early — and cold — airplane. They were necessary in drafty flying machines...
Eyes on ties
During law school, Birk Billingsley found himself buying a lot of expensive ties that didn’t quite do the trick. So about six months ago, he started his own handmade tie company. Billingsley, an attorney at Krieg DeVault in Indianapolis, met...
Midwest Fashion Week: Elise Lyon
Elise Lyon is a junior in the Art Institute of Indianapolis’ fashion design program — she will be in the school’s first graduating class. The Jeffersonville native’s seamstress grandmother got her started on the sewing path....
Midwest Fashion Week: Catherine Fritsch
Catherine Fritsch is making a bold move into a bigger market — she recently had five pieces of her Sweet Revenge line manufactured in Los Angeles for retail sales and mass consumption. Fritsch will be showing her boudoir designs during the...
Midwest Fashion Week: Berny Martin
Originally from Haiti, Berny Martin found inspiration for his collection in another island: Ireland. After reading about the culture and drama of the Irish past, Martin found a kinship with the people of the Emerald Isle. “I felt something...
Midwest Fashion Week: Beth Bennett
Inspired by the tropics, Beth Bennett thought about what a bride would want for her destination wedding. “I’m looking at it as a collection for brides who want to go away and be married. If a bride goes down to a tropical climate, what...
More cosmetic products are doing double duty.
Although makeup is decidedly a luxury item, these days we often ask just a little more of our paints and potions. Plenty of cosmetics are punching the clock twice. Here are some great double-duty beauty finds. Huge Lips Skinny Hips: This lip gloss...
Nursery furniture grows with children
Your family is growing, and that means creating a new space. Part of the fun of welcoming a baby is planning the nursery. And more homeowners are designing rooms their child can grow into. “Moms want a room that can take their little one...
Getting ahead in the hat trade
If you think the days of elegant couture hats are over, think again. Emily Clark, an up-and-coming Indianapolis milliner, is at the forefront of this fashion comeback. Clark didn’t plan on making a career in hats. She fell into them, headfirst,...
She's ready for that first step
With nearly a year under her belt as executive director of Dress for Success Indianapolis, Barbara Ellsworth is gearing up to attend her first Stepping Out in Style event. Now in its seventh year, Wednesday’s fundraiser combines a fashion show...
Book time this weekend for a deal at library sale
Patrons and buyers will line up to get their hands on the 50,000 to 75,000 items on sale at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library’s Secondhand Prose Booksale this weekend. Since 1986, the six-times-a-year sale has become one of the...
Peace, love and some style
Sure, Woodstock ’69 was billed as a festival of peace and music, but style also took center stage. Forty years later, Lucky fashion director Hope Greenberg says you can channel your inner flower child without looking like you’re...
Clothing designer calls upon motherly experience
NEW YORK — Cynthia Rowley, mother of two, says she had on-the-job training for her newest gig, designing a new line of infant and toddler clothes and gear. Too bad her own daughters are now too old to wear any of it. “I can try to squeeze...
Get stylish bag to-go
Paper, plastic or fashion statement? There’s no need to forgo style if you’re opting for today’s reusable bags in supermarkets and department stores. “They’ve been incredibly popular,” said Tony Warmus, district...
A few cheap tricks will keep your stuff safe in your home
As if the economy didn’t cause enough anxiety, we also have to worry about someone breaking in and stealing our stuff. Yes, it’s true — after years of decline, some cities are seeing a rise in burglary and other property crimes. So...
These cameras tough it out
Olympus was onto something four years ago when it launched the first in its “Tough” line of cameras. Consumers have long complained about point-and-shoot cameras breaking after dropping out of a pocket or getting wet. Olympus engineers...
Buying used
Smart tips for car shopping If you’ve changed your car-buying plans from new to used as a result of the uncertain economy, you’re not alone. The editors of Consumer Reports Money Adviser think it’s not a bad strategy. Here are Money...
