Natascha Stolle

As the New Year approaches, I started thinking about what I would like to accomplish in the upcoming year. Beside the usual "go to the gym more", I would like to streamline my wardrobe and style. I like this look from Natascha Stolle- she dubs her look as "that American dorky girl, but kind of effortlessly stylish."

I would also like to try to accomplish some of my goals from 2008- like update our website!

Chira Party

My orthodontist, Dr. Chira (pictured far right), had a surprise shopping party today for her staff at Sweet Lady Jane. It was so fun! Joan (pictured far left), Bobbi (in the middle), Kirsten and Sarah (not pictured), all went out to lunch and then enjoyed a shopping spree. They sipped champagne and nibbled on truffles while they decided which Hobo wallet they wanted.

Gift idea for your wife

Here's another gift idea. This one could be for your wife or maybe your best friend. We choose a cream cotton/cashmere wrap from Kersh, super warm cashmere argyle socks from B.ella, 2 gold bangles from Satya and a pretty hair clip. All this for under $150!

Jennifer Kahn Trunk Show

We are hosting a trunk show this Saturday with local artist, Jennifer Kahn. She has so graciously agreed to create an exclusive pendant for the show. It's a sterling silver with 24k gold on top solstice pendant. It's a limited edition piece, so shop early! Jennifer will be here from 10am to 5pm- come and support a local artist!

I love Martha Stewart and Lake Placid

I just got back from a weekend getaway to Lake Placid. It's only and hour and a half away but its like being in a different world. We cooked, ate, drank, played apples to apples, and sat by the fire.

On Friday, we went to the Holiday Stroll on Main Street and Good Morning America was there filming. You can catch it on December 14th.

Did I mention that the house that we stay in belongs Sara Foster?

Holiday windows

Here is a shot of the other window. This side reads "We're going for Baroque" I decided not to mount the other wig. I thought it was visually more interesting to have it on the stool- like she got tired of wearing it and took off after the party...

Inspiration

I made our wigs with chicken wire, cotton batting, and spanish moss. It would have a lot cleaner with cotton but you have to use what is available. Kate suggested the frames as "faces" and choose the artwork for the window and interior frames.

If you ever have the desire to make your own Marie Antoinette wig- check out this site.

Holiday windows

We finished our holiday windows this week. The theme this year is "Baroque". The lettering in this window reads- "If it ain't Baroque don't fix it". The phrase was Sara's choice and she originally designed the lettering for the phrases but we decided to go with vinyl. It was an easier and less time consuming process- not to mention it's been freezing cold the last few days!

Mark made the gold frames for us and I made the "wig". It was inspired by the Comme des Garcons Spring 2009 show.

Holiday Gift Guide

Well it's almost the beginning of the holiday season! The Christmas tree was brought down to the Marketplace today and we finished our holiday windows.

Every year, we get customers that need a little extra help in the gift giving department. We thought we might inspire you with a few of our ideas...Nichole put together this set for Mom, for under $50 dollars- ruffle bottom scarf and gloves from Tulle, with a pair of fun tights from Hue. Add a gift card for lunch at Leunig's and you're done!

Free People Sweater Sale!

Better get here early! Great deals on great sweaters...and 10% off all regular priced Free People merchandise.

Jennifer Kahn

Our friend and local jeweler, Jennifer Kahn, was recently interviewed by the Burlington Free Press. Click here to read the article. We are also proud to announce that we are hosting a trunk show with her on December 13th. She'll have many one of a kind pieces- perfect for those special people on your holiday list. Don't worry- I'll remind you, when it gets closer...

Annual Free People Sweater Sale

Pssst...I haven't officially announced it but our annual Free People Sweater sale will be next weekend- November 14th and 15th. A portion of our sales on Friday will be donated to a local Woman's Health organization- help us kick off the season of giving!

You can see that we got in a lot of sweaters for this sale. Come early for the best deals and selection!

Get out and vote!

Sara created this patriotic reminder for the store yesterday. It inspired me to also wear red, white and blue to the polls today. There were no lines at my polling place but there was an air of excitement and urgency.

Sunday New York Times

All I can say is OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We made it into the Sunday New York Times. This picture was in the slide show, associated with the article.

Saja in the news

I just realized that Saja got a great mention in the November issue of Lucky. AND it was the dress that I originally thought I could wear for my sister's wedding. Isn't it lovely? I still wish I had a reason to order it...

I'm off to NYC this weekend for a girls shopping weekend!

French Connection trunk show

Our good friend Amy, from French Connection, will be coming to Burlington to help us with a special holiday trunk show. We will have limited edition holiday pieces, available for November 7th and 8th only. Amy is bringing special gifts and you can get 20% off any current French Connection merchandise. What a deal! Oh- I am even baking and we will have cocktails on Friday night...

Satya in the news

The lotus earrings by Satya pictured in People magazine, is one our personal favorites! I think every member of the Sweet Lady Jane family owns a pair. They also come in silver.

We got in some great pieces this week- wool toggle jackets by French Connection, wool capes from Free People, cashmere socks, and some new Love Heals necklaces.

Berkshire East

Berkshire East was the backdrop to a lovely fall wedding that we went to this weekend. The weather and foliage was peak and I was happy not to have to wear stockings! I did get to wear my Saja top one last time, proof that a summer blouse can transition a long way into the fall season.

One of the great public spaces in the country.

The Church Street Marketplace won an award today from the APA- American Planning Association. The APA states that the award is given to places that "offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America's truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement."

Senator Patrick Leahy was on hand to accept the award, along with Ron Redmond of the Church Street Marketplace.

Fall foliage

It finally feels like fall and we got in cozy goodies to ward off the chill. The Free People hoodie to the left was an instant hit and we're almost sold out of it.

I have an interesting story to share. Today I was helping a mom and daughter purchase a Grandmother's Button ring when a man came in and started taking pictures of the three of us. I assumed he was with the mom and daughter, since it's parents weekend. It turned out that he was not with them but was there to shoot pictures for the Sunday edition of the New York Times! The article will be out on October 19th, in the Travel section.

QE2

Here is some perspective on how big the Piers are in New York. Pictured here is the Queen Elizabeth 2. When I'm at the show I walk up and down 3 of these piers at least four times!

If I had to sum up the style for spring, I would have to call it Geek Chic. I saw rompers, pleated shorts, long slouchy jersey tops and boyfriend jeans. The were a lot of neutrals with a few punches of eighties inspired color.

Bark, bark, bark

We went to the "Shelburne Museum Goes to the Dogs" yesterday and it was fun! We helped set a World Record for loudest collective dog bark. I think it hit around 111 decibels, which beat the old record! I have to admit, Buddha was not at all interested in helping.

Turning the Marketplace pink

Last night Leunig's hosted a 3 course dinner and fashion show, with all of the proceeds going to the Breast Care Center at Fletcher Allen. The models were either breast cancer survivors or someone touched by the disease.

Our model worn a black chiffon dress with hidden sequins by Saja and lotus jewelry by Satya.

Grandmother's Buttons

Here is the lovely Christina, modeling some new pieces by Grandmother's Buttons. Each piece is guaranteed to have either antique metal, pearl or glass buttons from 1880-1918 or Art Deco celluloid, bakelite, glass, metal or wood buttons from 1920-1940. They leave the button shank attached, so it retains its value. Each necklace is handmade and the unique button makes it truly original.

My goal

I'm trying to grow my hair out- again but I'm serious this time. This picture is my hair goal- a lovely french twist with a touch of whimsy. I like that that bow is black- a touch of goth to an otherwise girly attachment.

A new piece from Satya

These stretch bracelets are part of the new Shakti, meaning scared force, power or energy, collection by Satya.

The colors are a perfect way to transition your summer pieces to fall. They can also be a fun set to share with your friends- break it up and you can each have one.

Thank you for the daysie promotion

We are doing a special sale for our email customers, as a thank you for our sixth Daysie award. We are really honored and it's a small way to say- we think you're great too!

If you're not on our email list, please sign up next time you're in or take advantage of this offer by bringing in a copy of this post.

Buddha's vacation

We took off for a last minute vacation to Portsmouth, NH this weekend and brought our dog Buddha. Some of you may have meet in him in the store or in previous blogs... We assumed that the town would be very dog friendly, since our hotel was. Well- we were wrong.

It was a really intriguing town, with some lovely shops and restaurants. A big thank you to Pesce Blue for sneaking Buddha in!

2008 Daysie Awards

As you can see, Kate and I are very excited to have won our sixth annual Daysie Award for the "Best Place to buy Women's Casual/Sportswear". We also won runner up for the "Best Place to buy Evening Wear." Thank you for all of your support and for the votes. We'll continue to try to make Sweet Lady Jane your favorite place to shop.

p.s. I'm wearing the new Ritchie jeans by James Jeans- love them!

Shopping for the Holidays

I just got back from another trip to New York. Even though I was really wiped out from the sidewalk sale, it was one of the best trips that I've had in awhile. I found so many great things for the holidays. Some of my favorite were: jewelry by David Aubrey, monogram necklaces by Pyrrha, chunky enamel rings and gorgeous wraps by Yarnz.

What a week...

Burlington celebrated the annual Sidewalk Sale this week and it was pure madness. It was the best one ever but the customers made us work for it. At one point, it looked like some sort of free wedding dress give away - people were pushing, shoving and grabbing anything they could get their hands on.

In the midst of it all, we got in some great fall merchandise: cropped leather jackets by Miss Me Couture, wrap dresses by Glam, the fall vintage Hobo bags (!), and a ton of Free People! Are you ready for sweaters?!

James Jeans

In the September issue of InStyle Makeover, Blake Lively is wearing the "Ritchie" jean by James Jeans. We will have these in a dark wash but we may need to get them in black! Because of the cropped length, they're going to be a great all season jean; wear them with flats now or tucked into boots for the fall.

Project NY

I attended the Project NY show yesterday. Phew- was it hot in the city! I think most buyers were at the beach because the show was very quiet. It was easy to zip around and take in all of the holiday/resort collections. Most of the lines were menswear and the remainder seemed to be overly embellished tee shirts. Apparently bedazzled tee shirts are all the rage in LA.

Red Engine Jeans

The Sweet Lady Jane ladies all love their Red Engine jeans and they've been getting a lot of press recently. Here is Chloe Sevigny in a pair. They have been our staple jean for years because of the simple dark washes, super soft denim and the "not too low" rise. Come in and check out the new petite fit called Lily. Instant gratification for us shorter girls.

Baby Shower

I went to a very fashionable baby shower last week for the owner of Stella Shoes. Stella's is everyone's favorite shoe store in town and the only place that you can find truly original shoes in Vermont. I can't go in too often because I always get in trouble- unless I ditch the box before I get home. "What these old things? I have had them for weeks!" Anyway- this is my friend Summer at the shower, serving up some homemade shortcake.

Seven Daysies Voting

Don't forget to vote for your Burlington favorites!

Wally

My best friend Caitlin is the biggest Red Sox fan in the world! Their World Championship trophies from 2004 and 2007 are on The Church Marketplace tonight.

I only wanted to see Wally...you all know how I feel about Champ. Wally and Champ look like they could be distant cousins and they seem to share the same fashion sense. Couldn't someone iron Wally's pants?!

As Caitlin would say "Go SOX!"

Arts Alive

The month of June is busy with all sorts of summertime activities. One of my favorites is the Arts Alive festival. Local artists hang their work in shop windows and you can take art tours to learn all about them.

Our artist is Phoebe Mott and a personal favorite of mine. I saw her work hanging by my gym and I feel in love with her bold use of color and faceless people that seem to be filled with emotion.

I hope you can take a stroll downtown and enjoy the local art work.

Philadelphia

I'm off to the city of brotherly love tomorrow- to host a baby shower for my brother Blair and his girlfriend. It's going to really warm and why not beat the heat in a white eyelet dress by Corey Lynn Calter! It's a cotton mini dress that is lined and I'm envisioning wearing it in 2 different looks- sky high wedges by Pierre Hardy with wood accessories or gold gladiator flats with Philip Crangi hoops. I'll have to see what the situation calls for.

RU12? 10th Annual Dinner

My friend Karen invited me to be a guest judge at the Project Runway themed dinner for RU12?. Here I am with Heidi Klum after the contestants walked the runway with their hat designs. The audience choose the woman in the straw hat with the red shoes (there was also red shoes on the hat) as the winner. I was partial to the large garden themed hat at the end and the gentleman in the sheer pants had Heidi's full attention!

It was a lot of fun and the keynote speaker, Dan Savage, was hilarious.

Stuck in Vermont blog

Here is Eva Sollberger from Seven Days, modeling a sequin dress from The Clothes Exchange. Click here to see her blog posting on the event.

We ended up raising $30,000 for The Hicks Foundation! The power of over 400 women shopping...

Jammy Awards

Here is Vermont's own Grace Potter sporting earrings from Sweet Lady Jane at the Jammy awards in NYC. The fused glass earrings are made by her sister, Charlotte Potter. They come in a ton of colors, hang from sterling wires and sell for $36. How can you be that?!

The Clothes Exchange- 2008

It really paid off to make the $100 donation to The Hicks Foundation and be able to pre-shop for the exchange this year. This was our rack at 6 0'clock, when the doors opened to the general public.

Everyone had a really great time and enjoyed shopping to benefit a local charity.

The Lauren club

When the waitress at the Bangkok Bistro asked us (well not me) to validate our ages, we discovered that we each had a Lauren wallet by Hobo. We have almost every color represented!

Happy Graduation Lisa and Sara!

Something new

Here is a picture of a new jewelry line that I found. It's hand painted ceramic pieces with a Turkish inspiration. Each piece is set in sterling silver, will be unique, and they come on interesting chains. I also ordered the rings. They should be in by the end of June.

It's on the way

I spied a French Connection delivery truck near Central Park. It must be on the way to Vermont! Seriously- we got in a lot of French Connection this week and it's going fast. We have jersey maxi dresses, tube dresses, dresses for weddings, dresses for graduations- you get the idea...

Cinco de Mayo

I'm in New York again- this time for some immediate deliveries (like we need anything) and for the holidays. If we are in a recession, someone forgot to tell the buyers! It was very busy and I tried very hard to restrain myself.

I found some great summer jewelry yesterday and looked at Free People's holiday line today- great dresses.

Phoebe magazine

Today is the official launch party of Phoebe, a new Burlington magazine. Sweet Lady Jane and tribeca are featured in the fashion shoot. I can't wait to get my hands on one! But for now- check out the web site...

What to wear to a wedding

There's been a lot of discussion lately on what is appropriate to wear to a wedding. My thoughts are that it's someones very special day and if you got invited, it's because you're an important person in their life. Dress accordingly.

The first clue on what to wear is the invitation. Is it formal or casual? What time of day is the ceremony? Where is the wedding taking place- city, park, church? This information can guide you on what to wear.

p.s. White is never appropriate.

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! I did my part today and did some yard waste composting. Not very fashionable but it felt good.

If your feeling charitable, one way you can help the planet is to try to attend the Clothes Exchange or maybe ride your bike to work! I'm working on that one. I'm such a "hair" girl- we'll have to see how it works out with the helmet.

The Clothes Exchange

It's almost that time of year again! Ladies- clean your closets, it's the Clothes Exchange! This was the scene last year- so get there early. Or take advantage of the option to pre-shop for a $100 donation to The Hicks Foundation. Drinks, snacks, shopping and all for a good cause... Oh- did I mention you can also enter the raffle to win a $500 shopping spree at Sweet Lady Jane?!