Everything you need to know about wedding dress shopping post-lockdown

Ira A. Johnson 2 weeks ago
A couture bridal design by Phillipa Lepley - Phillipa Lepley
A couture bridal design by Phillipa Lepley – Phillipa Lepley

Weddings are back! On Wednesday, the government announced that from July 4, ceremonies could resume in England with up to 30 guests. Small weddings have been allowed in Wales and Northern Ireland since mid-June but they are yet to get the go ahead to make a comeback in Scotland. 

For many brides, this will be the cue to get serious about wedding dress shopping again – whether you’ve already chosen your gown, put the process on pause during lockdown, or are just getting started. 

Choosing a wedding dress is, most of us hope, a once in a lifetime experience so it’s understandable that you might feel wary about beginning the process at such an uncertain time. But as someone who has recently dipped my toe in the water, I can assure you that bridal designers are full of ingenious

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Fifth Avenue is going out of style for luxury retailers, as coronavirus erodes sales

Ira A. Johnson 3 weeks ago

High-end fashion stores on New York’s Fifth Avenue used to play the role of a showroom, where shoppers could browse through curated racks of clothes with a glass of champagne. However, with shopping at a near standstill and in-store sales hovering at zero, that prime real estate is becoming a drag on retailers’ balance sheets.

Italian fashion house Valentino sought court approval on Monday to immediately terminate its lease on its four-story New York Boutique on Fifth Avenue, saying its premium address had been “substantially hindered and rendered impractical, unfeasible and no longer workable,” according to a complaint filed to the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Valentino blamed “COVID-19-related restrictions, social distancing measures, a lack of consumer confidence and a prevailing fear of patronizing, in-person, ‘non-essential’ luxury retail boutiques.”

It is the latest luxury retailer scrambling to adapt to a new world order of contactless shopping and

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The Dresses Fashion Girls Will Be Wearing This Summer

Ira A. Johnson 3 weeks ago

It probably comes as no surprise that in my role as an editor, I spend a rather large chunk of my workdays researching emerging fashion trends, share-worthy shopping finds, and buzzy or on-the-rise brands. Every once in a while, however, I’m lucky enough to have one or any combination of the above categories simply present itself to me, instead. As you probably guessed, such is the case with the topic of today’s post—Rat & Boa’s dresses which have recently taken over my Instagram feed at somewhat of an exponential rate.

While the brand, which launched in 2015, is not particularly new, as most labels do over the course of their lifecycles it seems to be experiencing a period of particular popularity right now, and just in time for summer dressing. Their dresses—the majority of which are under $300—range from floor-length slips to minis and

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8 Black-Owned Boutiques and Vintage Shops Fashion People Will Love

Ira A. Johnson 3 weeks ago

In honor of Juneteenth, we’re taking cues from the #NewBlackFriday initiative, which encourages buying products or services from Black-owned businesses to help tactically address systemic economic inequality. Our niche has always been to bring our readers the latest in style and shopping, and with many of us being a bit more thoughtful about where our dollars go, we thought we’d share some of our favorite Black-owned fashion boutiques so you’re well equipped to shop with purpose. So whether you’re looking for a wardrobe pick-me-up in the form of some joy-sparking shoes or a deliciously comfy dress, scroll on for some wonderful options to support today and in the future. And just in case you’re feeling especially inspired to flex that retail muscle, please check out our features on Black-owned fashion brands, beauty brands, products, and retailers, too. 

Sincerely, Tommy is a Brooklyn-based concept store

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