Fashion

Shop Talk: Ebb and Flow

Surf cred? Check. Kook factor? Nil. Ebb and Flow, a new pop-up shop in cute little Cardiff-by-the-Sea, couldn't have made a better choice to launch its rotating gallery and show with local famed surf artist Andy Davis. His whimsical surf doodles have catapulted to a global phenomenon with his clothing brand Ando and Friends, not to mention a huge cult following in, yes, Japan. The best part? All the duds (for women, men and kids) are on offer in Ebb and Flow's kitschy digs, and Andy? The dude is still able to fly under the radar here, which is more than we can say for Rob Machado. Stop in for some duds and try to catch him if you can. The current exhibit in this rotating fiasco is called "Stay Casual." And that's art you can understand. Go with the flow. 111 Chesterfield Dr., San Diego, 760.634.2300, ebbandflowcardiff.com.

–Gillian Flynn,  JuliB  

Photo: Ebb and Flow.

First Look: PRVCY Premium Skinny Boyfriend Jeans

You don't need to hear that destructed denim is back. The ubiquitous knee-holes and faded washes have hit the streets, but shimmy into the PRVCY Premium Skinny Boyfriend jeans, coming out later this season, and you'll know which pair to choose. Every pair they make is cut just so (for girls, that is) so even these casual styles fit to flatter. Added bonus? Ten percent of every pair is donated to breast cancer research, year round. At the end of the day, it's all for you and the girls.

-Laura Norkin,  JuliB  

Wear It Now: Division E T-Shirts

Maybe your man demanded his intramural soccer T from junior year back, or maybe you just want to introduce devilish softness into your out-of-home wardrobe. The answer? New Division E Ts. It's like the "boyfriend" look exploded all over this sumptuous line, which features everything from drapey A-line tanks to perfectly loose pocket Ts, so you can bid adieu to boyfriend's laundry basket permanently. Available at 80spurple.com.

–Laura Norkin,  JuliB  

Division E's Boyfriend Slouchy Pocket Tee, $46.
Photo: 80s Purple.

Book of Style: Ruven Afanador’s Mil Besos

What's got high-fashion priestesses such as Iman, Heidi Klum, Marissa Berenson, Isabel Toledo and Diane von Furstenberg hot, bothered and book blurbing? It's Mil Besos (Spanish for 1,000 kisses), fashion photographer Ruven Afanador edgy, expressive valentine to the women of flamenco (Rizzoli, $75). Colombian-born Afanador has shot some of cinema's most glamorous starlets for publications like Vanity Fair, Elle and Rolling Stone. But for his latest monograph, he returns to his Latin roots. In his theatrical photos, the dancers are garbed in black (whether native costumes or the couture of Galliano, Cavalli, Gaultier, etc.), painted with Neo-Realist black-and-white makeup and shot against the austere landscapes of Southern Spain. With shades of Goya, Afanador's images capture the severe elegance, passion and spooky soulfulness of this Gypsy art form. And who better to write the foreword than Gibraltar native John Galliano, who has also tapped into flamenco culture for his own extravagant creations and who extols Afanador's "inky images [that] are equal parts elegant and raw." Available at amazon.com.

–Nancy Staab,  Modern Luxury Magazines  

Photo: Amazon.

Look Now: Fall Femme

Forget floaty and floral. From the tents to your TV, fall femme is coming in all different forms this season. Asymmetrical dresses shoulder the spotlight, while tough motorcycle jackets honor the '80s. And gone are the nude lips of summer; instead try a vampy red pout and emerald green nails. But for the girl who needs a reason to shine? Metallics and leopard prints help this season come in like a lion.

–JuliB     

Fendi's metallic Mini Bead Baguette, $2,140.
Photo: Barneys New York.

Daily Obsession: Brixton's Castor Hat

Admit it: You've been watching Mad Men and have developed a taste for all things foppish. Your man? A long way from Madison Avenue. So do the dapper Draper thing all on your own with Brixton's Castor Hat ($45). It's cut close to the cabeza so your locks can still shine; and in four color options, this straw-like topper will carry your look right into fall. Available at brixton.com.

–Laura Norkin,  JuliB  

Photo: Brixton.

Shop Talk: Carolina Herrera's Bal Harbour Boutique

If ever there were a fashionista who embodies what resort wear should be, it's Carolina Herrera, celebrating her fourth U.S. boutique with the opening of her new Bal Harbour store. Featuring ready-to-wear frocks, the locale also boasts the designer's beyond-elegant bridal collection. 9700 Collins Ave., Miami, 305.867.7590, carolinaherrera.com.

–Stephanie Green,  JuliB  

A look from Carolina Herrera's fall 2009 collection.
Photo: Carolina Herrera.

First Look: Bless x Longchamp Pliage Tote

It may look like a caramel leather donut, but you can guarantee there's no jelly inside. The prize here? The Bless x Longchamp Pliage Tote. If you love anything that has multiple functions, this is the fall accessory for you: the sturdy canvas tote boasts a circular strap that can also be worn as a bracelet. The genius of designers Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag, founders of label Bless, this Longchamp Pliage also collapses into its handle to form a larger, more compact donut for storage purposes. (Or a headrest, perhaps?) One of three special edition bags for Longchamp to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ANDAM (Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode), the Bless bag is part of the collection that also counts Jeremy Scott and Charles Anastase as guest designers. Want a peek? Scott's Pliage bag includes a clever, all-over photo print of the man himself, while Anastase's version has hand-drawn designs against a white canvas and an inventive button closure. Feel that sweet tooth coming on? Available October 1. longchamp.com.

–Richard Nahem,  JuliB  

On Trend: Fashion x Jewelry Designer Collaborations

Bedazzled! L.A.-based jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth, whose celebrity following includes Angelina, Halle and Katie, has unearthed a new jewel this season: fashion designer and fellow CDFA finalist Richard Chai. The new duo gets geometric with their first jewelry collaboration, featuring plush tassel earrings ($15,500) and intricate labradorite brooches ($4,818). They're not the only ones teaming up. Bensoni's playful pairing with Bing Bang designer Anna Sheffield resulted in rock 'n' roll-inspired pieces, while Parisian furrier turned fashion house J. Mendel conspired with Subversive's Justin Giunta to create rebellious silk boudin, chain and stone necklaces. And designer Jason Wu enlisted fashionista face Philip Crangi to create antiqued silver and brass spike beads with rhinestones ($500–$1,460). Available at annasheffield.com.

–Kate Parham,  Modern Luxury Magazines  

Anna Sheffield/Bing Bang Joan of Arc Necklace, $350.
Photo: Anna Sheffield.

Fab Find: Toms Shoes

Stylish humanitarians already know the benefit of Toms Shoes—with every pair purchased the brand gives a pair to a child in need—but fashionable globetrotters and jet-setters are quickly catching on to the shoes' supreme packability. The designs are lightweight and comfortable enough for a long trek, so you can go ahead and throw several pairs in your suitcase. And with a range of cool new fall styles like the Pink Strauss ($54) and the laced-up Barletta ($69), you'll feel good about looking great this season. tomsshoes.com.

–Isaiah Freeman-Schub,  Modern Luxury Magazines