Creative gift wrapping

My friend Sareet is one of the most talented gift wrappers that I have ever met!  Look at my Coco Chanel themed packages!  I love the miniature painting on top of the gold package by Mark Ryden...

I didn't want to open them!  Hugs and kisses to Sareet and to the lovely Kirstin that bought me the most fabulous bottle of wine. 

Baby it's cold outside...

I hope you all had a great holiday and are keeping warm!  This is Christmas Eve on Church Street and one of my favorite days to work.  The customers are bustling around, asking for outrageous items and we sigh with relief because all of our work is done. 

Happy New Year!!!
p.s we have a lot of "sparkle" on sale for the celebrations...

Is it too early for the winter blues?

Not if you have this great jacket from Free People!  I always admire the way that Free People styles their mannequins and they way that they can combine textures.  I personally always feel like I'm wearing a costume when I attempt this but I do know people that can rock this look. 

It's the holiday season...

And you know what that means...trunk show time!  Please join us on December 11th, we will be hosting the local favorite, Jennifer Kahn.  You can enter to win a pair of her earrings and we'll have some tasty snacks for you hungry shoppers.  I also promise not to bombard you with holiday tunes. 

What I want...

Oh it's a wee, bitty picture but it's a big craving.  I LOVE the Prada spring 2011 collection.  When I go to the shows this winter, I'll be on the lookout for prints, stripes (really no need to mention that because I'm obsessed), and great accessories.  I love the striped stoles and the printed shoes.

Covet show

I think we all had a great time at the Covet show this past Thursday.  We had cupcakes from my little cupcake, makeup by Kirstin, hair and styling by Erica and our friend Brett came to shoot the scene. The models were fantastic and we all enjoyed seeing Bonnica, Mica, and Lola showing the versatility of Covet, an  eco-friendly line.  

We also were lucky enough to have Jennifer Kahn in the store!  Her pieces went so well with Covet but what wouldn't her work look great with?!  I had to bring home a new pair of earrings for myself...I had been coveting them, so it seemed appropriate.
 

The show...

It's been almost two weeks from the French Connection show and I'm still thinking about it.  It was so great!  Everyone did such an amazing job!  Holly made a great music mix, Plumpest Peach made some fabulous food, Erica did some awesome styling and Kirstin out did herself on the make-up.  Our models had a great time and they sold quit a few looks.  Nice job...

Special thanks to our French Connection rep, Amy.  Without her, none of it would have been possible.

French Connection Fashion Show

We're getting excited...the annual French Connection Fashion Show and Trunk show extravaganza is coming up! We're busy planning a new format this year. Nicolette is designing a backdrop, Erica is styling the models and Holly is working on the soundtrack. I'm busy getting the food and drinks worked out. Stay tuned for the details...

Hope to see you there!

Woman's Day

Whoooo! Check it out. We got a mention in Woman's Day magazine! I've gotten some great feedback from the article. It seems that people would really like to see a catalog from Sweet Lady Jane. What do you think?

Leunig's Fashion Show

There was a change in plans for the Leunig's show. Our model, Michele, did not feel well and had to cancel. We were lucky enough to get Shannon to represent Sweet Lady Jane. This isn't the best picture but you can see that she was having a good time. Shannon decided to wear a faux fur vest from Jack, a lace camisole from Free People, the silk top is from LA made and the skinny jeans are from James Jeans.

Leunig's Fashion Show

Leunig's is one of my favorite places to eat in Burlington. Not only is their food great but they also support the local community. One of their annual events is a fashion show and dinner to benefit The Vermont Cancer Survivor Network. We were honored to dress Michele, our model this year. She decided on a pair of skinny jeans from !It jeans, a rayon jacket and top from Eight Sixty.

Back to school blues

When that calendar flips to September, you know that summer is close to being just a memory. There are already signs of the coming season; packs of freshmen, falling leaves, the Champlain Valley Fair, and a store full of winter coats.

One of top sellers this season has been this faux leather bomber by Jack. It has all of the styling of great jacket but at a fraction of the cost. It's 50 bucks!

Kait

Favorite brand sold at SLJ: BB Dakota, David Aubrey

Favorite outside brand: Citizens of Humanity

Favorite place to shop besides SLJ: Anthropologie, Zara

Three things you can't live without: family/friends, music, shoes

Must have travel item: sunglasses...so celeb

Favorite place to eat: home

Current favorite song: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen and anything from Ray LaMontagne

If you could be reborn as a celebrity who would you be? Katie Holmes for her style and Tom & Suri

What are you currently reading? Nothing now...

Current favorite piece of clothing: DVF sunflower shift dress

Current favorite piece of jewelry: watches

Do you have a nickname? Kait-my-date

What can you always find in your closet? Something thrifted

Favorite trend of all time? Boots!

Least favorite trend of all time? Uggs the one boot I wouldn't wear

Always...try new things

Never...give up!

Design*Sponge

So Design*Sponge is one of my favorite web sites and SLJ and trinket were mentioned on it! I love to read it when I eat lunch, they cover everything from DIY projects to up and coming designers. It always feels accessible but special at the same time.

Nicolette

Favorite brand at SLJ: Monserat de Lucca
Favorite outside brand: Boxing Kitten
Favorite place to shop besides SLJ: Mirror Mirror
Three things you can't live without: MacBook, cannon elan II, moleskine planner
Must have travel item: moleskine planner, pockets in everything
Favorite place to eat: Sadie Katz
Current favorite song: Boys and Girls by the Blue Lfit
If you could be reborn as a celebrity who would you be? Amelia Earhart
What are you currently reading? Harry Potter in french
Current favorite piece of clothing: custom black pencil skirt
Current favorite piece of jewelry: peacock enameled earrings
Do you have a nickname? never...all or nothing doll
What can you always find in your closet? a cable knit sweater
Favorite trend of all time? high waist (1950's & 1940's)
Least favorite trend of all time? acid wash
Always...shower
Never...say never

Grace Potter is a huge Corey Lynn Calter fan

Tonight Grace Potter is playing at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival and she had a chance to get, in her words, "my Sweet Lady Jane fix". She's a huge Corey Lynn Calter fan. She loved the pre-fall collection that we have in the store and choose this dress. Maybe she'll wear it tonight! Stay tuned...

Holly

Favorite brand sold at SLJ: Tulle or French Connection, I can't decide!
Favorite outside brand: Built by Wendy
Favorite place to shop besides SLJ: vintage and thrift shops
Three items you can't live without: camera, coffee, journal
Must have travel item: camera
Favorite place to eat: at home when my husband cooks
Current favorite song: The Smitten remix of Sapphire
If you could be reborn as a celebrity who would you be? Audrey Hepburn
Current favorite piece of clothing: my denim sailor jeans
Current favorite piece of jewelry: my wedding ring
Do you have a nickname? littlest
What can you always find in your closet? lots of coats
Favorite trend of all time: skinny jeans and high waisted skirts
Least favorite trend of all time: big shoulder pads or parachute pants
Always...in the mood for sushi
Never...can have too much sleep

New York

I went the the FAME, Accessories show and Intermezzo show this past week. I was looking for spring merchandise but ended up adding more to my fall deliveries! The stuff was that good...

Here I am modeling a jacket that I ordered for myself (whoops) from French Connection. It is part of the spring collection-stripes, florals and checks. French Connection is going back to basics and tried and true French looks. Yippee!

Congrats Myra!

Congratulations Myra on your much deserved Daysie! I'm so glad that she choose to wear her Marc Jacob's dress that she purchased on tribeca's last day. It was part of The Clothes Exchange that benefited the King Street Center.

We got our title back!!!

Yeah! We got our daysie back! We got runner up last year and we think it was due to the ambiguous category "Best Women's Casual Clothing and Sportswear". The category was changed to "Best Women's Casual Clothing Store" this year. We also got runner up for "Best Women's Evening Wear". Cool.

Thanks to everyone that voted. We'll try hard to uphold the reasons why you voted for us.

I just got back from NYC and I feel like it was one of the best set of shows that I've been to in a long time! Great stuff on the way!!!

Erica

Favorite SLJ brand: French Connection
Favorite outside brand: Reiss
Favorite place to shop besides SLJ: Nordstroms
Three items you can't live without: my kitty Manolo, Pirates of the Caribbean (1, 2, & 3), Lake Champlain
Must have travel item: a reliable bag
Favorite place to eat: Mario's Bohemian
Current favorite song: The Verve "Bittersweet Symphony"
If you could be reborn as a celebrity who would you be? Selma Blair...she could play me in a movie
What are you currently reading? British Vogue
Current favorite piece of clothing: a long maxi dress
Current favorite piece of jewelry: my vintage cameo ring
Do you have a nickname? Cogg...it was my grandfather's
What can you always find in your closet? something black
Favorite trend: leggings...I am never getting rid of mine!
Least favorite trend: shoulder pads and crocs!
Always...buy yourself flowers
Never...judge a book by it's cover

Ginny, Gin, Lady G

Favorite SLJ brand: French Connection
Favorite outside brand: Antelope shoes
Favorite place to shop besides SLJ: Banana Republic
Three things that you can't live without: the sun, cell phone and a good cosmopolitan!
Must have travel item: a great black sweater
Current favorite song" Breathless by The Corrs
If you could be reborn as a celebrity, who would you be? Audrey Hepburn
Currently reading: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Current favorite piece of clothing: Kensie black dress
Current favorite piece of jewelry: David Aubrey coral necklace
What can you always find in your closet: Jeans, jeans and more jeans!
Favorite trend of all time: skinny jeans
Least favorite trend of all time: leg warmers
Always...follow your dreams!
Never...give up!

Get to know us better...

Are you curious about what happens behind the scenes at Sweet Lady Jane? Do you ever wonder what we like and where we shop (besides Sweet Lady Jane, of course)? Over the next few weeks, we'll post little tid bits about ourselves and if you have any questions for us, give us a shout!

Our resident rock star

Check out the cover of Seven Days this week...the smittens! Holly is one of the SLJ employees and before that a long time customer.

We hope that she has a great time on tour and we're looking forward to hearing all about it!

Meet the new love of my life

When I was at the fall shows last spring, the pieces that I fell in love with were from French Connection. Some of those pieces have started to come in. Isn't this jacket lovely? It's ruffled tiers of rayon with large teardrop sequins. I would wear it over a fancy dress or with a tank and jeans, basically I would wear it everyday.

Sweltering...

So it's been blazing hot here all week and guess what we're selling? Sweaters! You people are crazy! I guess that we finally got you to realize that if you don't buy it when you see it, it will be gone.

With that said, we have some great early fall pieces in; leather jackets from BB Dakota, desert inspired sweaters by Free People, the new vintage collection from Hobo, and new jeans from !It. Get out of the heat and stop by...

Loving it

When I was in NYC last week, I noticed a ton of girls wearing desert like/combat boots with their light summer dresses. I'm loving these boots from AllSaints. I think that they'll look great now with my summer dresses and later flopped open with skinny jeans.

This will be a major trend this fall; feminine with a masculine twist. Here is an example from Glastonbury.

cravings...

Things I'm lusting after:
-white skinny jeans (and the legs to wear them)
-oribe gold pomade - for beachy hair
-liquiline blast eyeliner
-Fuji Instax- okay I already got one and I love it!
-something/anything from Isobel and Cleo

Marc Jacobs trunk show this Saturday!

Calling all fashionistas...this Saturday (June 12th) is the last day that our sister store tribeca will be open and we're going out with a bang! We have a large selection of Marc Jacobs clothing brought to you by The Clothes Exchange. All proceeds will benefit the King Street Center. This is a one day only event and not to be missed!

If this is not enough to get you to stop by, there will also be a local silent art auction and music by Myra Flynn and Nyiko!

Pyrrha's new store

I love the look of Pyrrha's new store in Los Angeles - so clean and simple. Check out the case display on the left. It's made of stacked books, what a great idea.

I just placed an order and we should have new Pyrrha pieces in soon.

p.s. if your a Pyrrha fan, get to know them better, check out their blog...

Latest love

My latest obsession is a line called Paper Wings. Each piece is handmade in Portland, Oregon by Jenn Goff. She uses sustainable silver, which means no mining takes place in creating her organic pieces.

The Clothes Exchange 2010

Last Thursday was the 9th annual Clothes Exchange. This year it was held at a larger venue and the selection was huge! Besides the racks and racks of donated gently worn fabulous items, there was: Commando, Isis, American Apparel and a wall of Marc Jacobs! More on the Marc Jacobs in a later post...

I brought Erica along to help style our section and help the shoppers find what they were looking for. We even gave some styling tips on the a few of the finds.

Who's that?!

Who is that pretty painted lady outside our door?

What should we name her? So far we have Cornelia, Audrey and Abigail...

New York

I just got back from New York on Wednesday and this trip was for the holiday season. Holiday shopping in May?! I know, it is crazy. I wish the buying season was closer to the actual consumer purchasing season because I am not ready to think of sweaters and outerwear for awhile. But, according to the latest forecast, we may need them again this weekend. I am so over it!

This is a sneak peak at the Free People holiday look. A little reminiscent of the 80's ...

David Aubrey

Look at the new spring time lovely pieces that we got in from David Aubrey. I love the color combination. It reminds me of my good friend Erin, she loves to come up with interesting color matches.

p.s. Charlotte said that she sent in her application for Project Runway! Keep your fingers crossed!

Happy 7th Birthday, Sweet Lady Jane!

Craziest thing

I don't normally answer the phone but I happened to today and it was Janelle from Project Runway. At first I thought that she was calling from some showroom called Project Runway but I soon realized that she was indeed calling from the actual show! It turns out that she liked our web site and thought we would be a good place to hunt down local designers. I mentioned our dear friend Charlotte from Isabel and Cleo,an ex-employee that just happened to be in town for one night, who then happened to walk into my office! "Would you like to speak to her?" "Sure."

If she gets on Project Runway, I'll just die.

Hopping down the bunny trail

Stop by and say hello on Easter...we will be open 12 to 5pm.

Rainy day dreaming

It's a rainy day today and I'm dreaming of what outfits I want to put together for myself this week. I love this look from Hexa By Kuho. I love how the model looks like she's shedding pant layer after pant layer. I attempted a similar look like last week but my pants weren't tapered. I think I may have to modify them...

Some other ideas:
-rolled skinny jeans, BB Dakota striped oxford half tucked with my new animal print flats
-baggy men's v-neck sweater over my Free People sequin dress
-the new French Connection silk dress with my neutral cage booties

Bring Back starts this week!

Leslie from the Clothes Exchange has added some incentive -

"Clip your name and email on the bag of clothes you donate at SLJ. We'll give 5 free raffle tickets to the person who donates the best item. You could win a year of massages from Stephen & Burns, a $1000 Ski Rack shopping spree, a year of cleaning supplies from 7th Generation, A yoga package from Evolution Yoga and a family membership to Sports and Fitness Edge."

Color to lighten your mood

Daylight savings begins tonight and I thought a good way to celebrate is to tell you about all of the color that we have in the store for spring! A great example is this French Connection skirt. It represents the purple prom dresses, the orange Tulle trench coats, the royal BB Dakota dresses and all the great LAmade tops that we have in right now. Stop by and soak it in.

An inexpensive way to obtain a classic

From Style.com - "In 2010, you’re going to want a trench.… OK, we know what you’re thinking: Every season, it seems, publications like ours are proclaiming, “The trench is back.”"

We just got these trench coats in from BB Dakota and I'm definitely going to snag one. They're lightweight, water resistant and the belt is super long, so you can tie in a nice knot. All this style and its under $100 bucks. Can't beat it.

The storm

The crowds were very into the beads this year. We witnessed a lot of bead "bartering" and bead snatching. The other big trend was the American Apparel gold leggings on almost every college aged girl, random weird hats, and we saw a lot of plain ol'drunk people.

Calm before the storm

Today is the Mardi Gras parade in Burlington. By 2pm today, this street will look completely different. Thousands (yes-thousands) of people will jam Church Street hoping to catch some beads or some other free treats. It amazes me every year and this is the warmest Mardi Gras that I can remember. It should be crazy...

p.s. Sweet Lady Jane will be closed for the parade (for our own safety).

The fall Hobo colors

I took this picture hoping to capture the fall Hobo colors but this picture does not represent the collection at all! The fall will bring black, maroon (not pictured and completely awesome), mogano (dark brown), sage (not pictured), taupe (the grey in the picture), and pumpkin (the yellow looking color).

So in attempt to give you all a sneak preview, I think I made it worse. The colors were gorgeous and the prints were great but don't judge the group by this picture!

The end.

At the end of the show, this guy and I had a lot in common...

See you tomorrow!

The beginning.

Today was my first day at Coterie and it was great! I had appointments all day but I managed to get them all done and then some! On top of that, I got to meet my favorite designer in person - Corey Lynn Calter. She was so nice, asked my opinion on the line, and seemed genuinely interested in how CLC was doing in Vermont.

David Aubrey

New David Aubrey earrings have arrived...and they are beautifully elegant. Here are some favorite pieces, all inspired by classic paintings and medieval ornaments.

-Ginny