Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Just Ask Claridge & King!


We are so excited that we had the opportunity to chat and exchange Q&A's with the lovely sisters that created the brand Claridge & King! The two talented designers are inspired by classic men's wear but made for women!


1. You find a lot of inspiration in menswear pieces. What attracts you to the menswear style and tailoring?

- Unlike women's fashion where every season the prevailing silhouette can vary wildly,there is a classicism in menswear that endures through the decades. That attention to tailoring and subtle details which you often find in very fine men's clothing is something we find quite alluring. We try to bring those same enduring qualities to our collection, paying close attention to the subtlest of details that fast fashion can often gloss over.


2. What are your best-selling styles in the collection?

- Our best-selling style is the piece that launched our brand: The His is Hers® Original Shirt. It's a versatile piece which like many of our designs leaves itself open to interpretation by the wearer. We love to see how the stylish women drawn to C + K reinvent our pieces. Everything from the His is Hers® shirt styles to simple sheaths like the Crew, another big seller, are heightened by the accessories that our customers pull from their closet to pair with our pieces.


3. Tell us a little bit about your target customer? Who is the Claridge + King woman?

- It's hard to pin point the age of our target customer because happily we've found that everyone from college girls to women in their seventies have found pieces that work with their lifestyle at Claridge + King. But regardless of their age or their geographic roots, we find the women who wear our brand (as well as the men who purchase it for them) are rather sophisticated and confident. They know themselves, their body and what works for them. They're the farthest thing from a slave to fashion, but they are nonetheless current and very much aware of well cut clothing and fashion.


4. How has the brand evolved since its launch in 2008?

- Three years ago when we launched the line we knew there were two directions we were interested in navigating: loungewear (which also encompasses stylish sleepwear) and casual ready-to-wear. We felt that there was a space in the sleepwear realm where women like us who didn't necessarily want prissy poly nightgowns or cat covered pajamas could find pieces as cool as the clothes we wore during the day. Creating a boxer, pajama pants with deep, fetching slits on the outside of each leg, smoking jacket inspired robes and of course, The His is Hers® Shirts that can be worn as nightshirt, we took on the challenge of ready-to-wear next. Often our designs are inspired by what's missing in our own and our customer's closets. We listen to what our retailers like Ladybird suggest we add to the line. For instance, last year after so many women told us how much they liked the styling in our boyfriend style shirts, but desired a fitted white shirt too, we took over a year to develop the Great White Shirt. It's our answer to that go anywhere pinpoint cotton shirt devoid of darts that's subtly tailored to nip in at the shoulders, bust and waist. This spring you'll find it edged with a tone-on-tone texture detail: white grosgrain ribbon sewn down the front and cuff plackets, with our logo embroidered discreetly in white thread atop it.


5. What do you hope to bring to Claridge + King in the future? What are your plans for 2012?

- What's ahead? More monochromatic pieces with a palette heavy of grays (from cool to warm tones), blacks, blues, olive and, of course, white–like the shades you'd find if you pinched pieces from your boyfriend/husband/brother's wardrobe. This spring, summer and fall you'll see more dresses that do double duty like a lot of our line.

From the return of the linen Belle (in midnight and sterling gray linen) that you can wear as a tunic or even a mini dress, to an off the shoulder dress dubbed the Grayson, to our first shirtdress inspired by our Great White Shirt which arrives for fall which you can wear as a dress or a long top, buttoned just to the waist and paired with pants like our luscious washed silk twill lounge pants arriving any moment.

We're also crazy about our sweaters. We love our fine, lightweight cashmere sweaters (The Long V Tee and the Two-Toned Crewneck) with a pinch of silk in them. They feel like t-shirts and layer like one, but wear remarkably well. (The silk in it diminishes the pilling you get with most cashmere.) And in about a month the Patch Sweater arrives. Available in three shades of gray it's a 100% cotton sweater with elbow to cuff leather patches on each sleeve. It's a great looking piece, our latest obsession. (Besides we're cold year round and always keep a sweater handy.)


How Ladybird wear's Claridge + King's the Great White

1. With Shorts
- The Original C+K button up looks great with a pair of cut off shorts. This is a great everyday look.


2. Dress Pants
- You can't go wrong pairing this Original style with a pair of navy dress pants. Add your favorite heels and a bright colored bag! 


3. Printed Pants
- We really enjoy bright colored pants, and heavy printed pants. To tone down the pants we like to add the C+K Original button up. 




Saturday, January 21, 2012

A Fine Line - At Ladybird




"I wanted to create clothes that make a woman feel confident, beautiful, and put together in their most relaxed state, and could easily be dressed up or down. I love high fashion. But, I want the same quality and attention to detail in my everyday staples... and without the price" - Alisia Leibel

AFL is arriving this spring with the signature tees that we all enjoy. Comfort and feeling good is what Alisia tries to reach when she created this line.

Here are a few things to look forward from AFL at Ladybird







"Blurring the line between innerwear and outerwear is ... A Fine Line."

Show Me Your Mumu! At Ladybird



Show me your Mumu is an up and coming brand from two young and successful women by the names of Cammy and Cologne. Over the summer of 2009, the two friends were on vacation together and were having a hard time getting their wardrobes together on hot summer days and nights.  They would purchase large tees and stretch them out and tie em up but it never looked the way they visioned it. One night they decided how great it would be to make their own mumus. Large, baggy, and perfectly fitting mumus. The two girls created the brand Show Me Your Mumu. The girls live in Manhatten now designing fun colored and crazy patterend printed Mumus for every girl to enjoy.

Now we are carrying their signature Mumus and tanks here at ladybird this spring! Be prepared for loose tees to pair with your levi shorts and skinnys!


Monday, January 16, 2012

Engraved Shell Necklaces for V Day


Jewelry is always a great gift to give when it comes to Valentine's Day. Especially if you put a lot of time and thought into it. We now are offering necklaces that are customized. You can have any 3 letters initialed on this flat plated necklace. Takes up to 10 business days. Make sure to stop in the store or call at 614-298-8133 for more information!

By Boe for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and we want to make sure that you have the perfect gift to give to that special someone.

By Boe is coming to ladybird with some really great jewelry that screams love. Simple yet great staple pieces. Perfect to give to that special lady in your life.

My Heart Necklace

Baby Love Necklace

Tiny Heart Necklace 



Spotted: Nicole Richie wearing her House of Harlow



Nicole Richie was spotted on the Red Carpet last night wearing the 1960 Marley clutch by House of Harlow that we have here at the store. She sported this clutch with a Julien MacDonald dress and Jimmy Choo shoes. 

The great thing about this clutch is it can be worn in so many different ways. It even has a thin chained strap that can be tucked in the clutch or on raveled and over the shoulder.  Here are a few ways we wore our House of Harlow clutch.








Tuesday, January 10, 2012

New Year, New You!


We are so excited to celebrate the New Year with you all! We know sticking with your new year resolutions can be difficult. Especially if you don't know where to even begin with your goals. That's why we are going to kick off the New Year with you and a team of people with great and very useful tips to help us all get on track with our list of resolutions!

Come by this Friday at the store from 6-9pm to meet with a mortgage consultant, registered dietician, and a personal trainer!

Then join us afterwards for refreshments at Bar 23!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Happy 30th Birthday Kate Middleton!



Kate Middleton, not only a duchess but as well as a style icon turns 30 today! Her style is forever classic and so clean. We love her for her unique hair pieces to a her fresh looks of just a pair of jeans with simple blouse.

 We really loved this everyday look that Kate wore. At ladybird we have just the right pieces to pull off this casual Kate look!





Navy Blazer - Paper Crown
- This one button blazer is definitely a staple piece to any woman's closet.  Navy blazers can be worn casually as shown above or even over a dress, floral skirt, maxi, you name it!

Jeans - Levi's
- A great pair of Levi's is always perfect for an everyday look.
Blouse - Equipment
- This is a really great blouse that we just recently got in. Can tie as a bow at the neck or let loose for a more casual and relaxed look.

Boots - Kelsi Dagger
- These are a great pair of boots.  Not only a great combo with jeans but try it out with a skirt or flirty dress!

 Bag - Z Spoke
- Z Spoke does it again with another great bag. This cherry red bag is the perfect size to fit all your needs for the day. Comfortable and looks great with the everyday look. 












Sunday, January 8, 2012

Add a pop of color to the season!


When it comes to winter most of us think of a dark color pallete for our wardrobe.  Shades of black, grays, maroons and chocolate browns are always a must for the cold season. Although these colors are always perfect for the winter, why not show the other colors some love? Why only wear bright colors in the spring and summer? Who set these rules?!

Here at ladybird we love to give every color a chance in our wardrobes no matter what season it is. These are a few of our favorite colorful pieces we have in the store to brighten up your day no matter how cold it is!

1. Pants
- These Rebecca Minkoff pants are great for any nice outing. With a fur coat to keep you warm. This is a great bright piece for a winter evening out.

- Just got in these amazing tie die pants from Paige Denim! We love the navy, cream, and maroon splatter look on this piece. You can tone this down with a dark colored blouse or even sweater. These pants show character and is a piece you can really do a lot with. Great even for spring and summer with a pair of sandles or flats.

2. Blazers
- Seems like bright colored or even fun patterned blazers are in this year. We really love this poppy red blazer from BB Dakota. It's a great layering piece. Wear stripes or even a solid colored blouse under to dress up or down this look!

3. Tops
- Bright tops with dark bottoms are always a great way to freshen up a winter look.  Red is always a really great color choice for the winter. 

4. Belts



- Thin belts are a must this year. Sam Brown has brought us a variety of colors and prints to make any outfit sassy. Thin and colorful belts are great to add to any long maxi dress or just with a pair of your favorite jeans.

5. Clutches


- A bright colored clutch is always enough to make an outfit really stand out.  That's why we love Clare Vivier's clutches. A staple piece to have. Great to pair with a casual outfit like this one or even a little black dress.

6. Jewelry 


- Noble House Design always knows how to make a beautiful necklace to make any outfit look amazing.  We love the earthy feel Noble House brings to each design. Layering this with a black sweater really will make any winter outfit look fabulous.