Why Pay More for the Hottest Trend this Season??

Why pay $158 for skinny leggings, one of the hottest trends this season, when you can get them at metrostyle.com for $24.99!!! They look great with a tunic, sleeveless for summer/layered for fall. They have plenty of stretch for everyone's curves and are comfy and sexy at the same time! Don't forget to accessorize with a cute pair of sandals or pumps, jewelry, and sunglasses!!!

metrostyle leggings $24.99 compared to Beyonce's designer leggings for $158!

Top 10 Fashion Colors of Fall 2009

It seems summer just started and we’re already looking forward to what we’ll want to be wearing in autumn. So below are the top 10 fashion colors for this fall - American Beauty, Purple Heart, Honey Yellow, Iron, Burnt Sienna, Nomad, Rapture Rose, Warm Olive, Majolica Blue, and Creme Brulee.



By Diane

Remember When Looney Tunes Were Cool!

Do you all remember when looney tunes t-shirts were cool. I went to a Catholic elementary school so we couldn't wear the shirts to school. But on the last day of school we had a field day and were allowed to wear our "street clothes" to school. I am pretty sure that on field day everyone was wearing a looney tunes shirt. Now remember this was over a decade ago. Well my husband's Aunt apparently still thinks that its cool to wear Looney Tunes. Last Christmas she bought my husband a Tazmanian devil t-shirt. The t-shirt was brown and TAZ was three dimensional and furry. Yah I know sounds like a joke gift but she was serious. I don't know where she found it but I have a couple of good guesses (eh ehm..can you say flea market).

by Sara

Anyone else remember Skidz?

I remember going clothes shopping in the last days of August before my first day of 6th grade, begging my mom to buy me a pair of Skidz so I could look 'cool' for the first day of school. After inspecting the price tags, however, she quickly denied my request and I was left to sulk, bummed out that I wouldn't be as fashionable as I would have liked. A few days later, however, when we went to pick up some sneakers (probably either British Knights or LA Gear) at our local bargain department store we found a few pairs of irregular plaid Skidz at a great price and I was rewarded with what I thought to be the cornerstone of any fashionable outfit. Looking back I can't imagine wearing anything uglier even though, at the time, I thought they were the coolest thing since Vanilla Ice.

Which leads me to my question: what is fashionable now that you think you'll look back in horror on 10-15 years from now? Post your answers in the comments...

Readers Ask...We Answer!

I received the following comment when I wrote “Desk to Dinner” :

Hello metro insider…I love reading your blog and I was wondering how you could help me. I’m a very fashion conscious person…thanks to your blog and similar others…But in my town I don’t have access to better private label designers. I was hoping you could give me a top ten list of more of your favorite online boutiques that have price points between $250.00 and $1,000.00 per item. I love fashion accessories too. Please feel free helping me get very fashion creative. – Sincerely, A Fashion Conscious Personality

Dear Fashion Conscious Personality,

First of all thanks for your question! We love when we hear back from our readers. Here is my list for you and all your fellow readers to enjoy! I gave you my top 5 web sites that sell everything from head to toe…then listed 5 additional broken down into categories if you need to get more specific with your shopping!

For a mixture of everything (clothes, accessories, etc).
1 – misssixty.com
2 – bluefly.com
3 – net-a-porter.com
4 – ruelala.com
5 – shopittome.com

Swim – nancymeyer.com

Jewelry – tiffany.com

Bags – europehandbag.com

Shoes – endless.com

Bridal – priscillaofboston.com

But remember, the best way to balance a wardrobe is to have a few expensive pieces mixed in with less expensive items, so don’t forget to continue shopping at metrostyle.com for great styles that are much more affordable!

By LB

Hair Tricks

After reading "Hair-Brained Idea" I thought I could elaborate on some hairstyling tips. Everyday that I get up and get ready for work, I deal with the same thing…WHAT do I do with my hair?!?! I have really big, curly (most of the time frizzy) hair. I am always looking for new tips on how to style my hair, new products I can try, or ways to create a new look. If you are like me…here are some tips for our kind of hair:

1) Ask for a “dry cut” at the hair salon. Instead of having your hair stylist wet your first, just let her go right in for the kill! Trust me it works…I have had one hair stylist my whole life (my dad…yes you read that right my DAD) and he was a little weary about doing this saying that it wouldn’t come out right, but when your hair is as curly as mine…it doesn’t matter if every strand of hair is exactly even at the ends. It gives it a much more natural flow and I was very happy with the outcome of our dry cut experience that we decided to attempt around 9 pm in our kitchen. Quite humorous but successful!

2) Experiment with gels and creams and mousse galore. I find that the cheapest of hair products are the best! I go through a can of mousse at least every 2 weeks…so if you are paying over $10 a bottle for your hair products you better check yourself. I use a variety of different brands but they are all under $3 a bottle. (and they work just as good as anything you can buy at the salon.)

3) If you wash your hair at night, put whatever products you would normally in your hair, but then pull it back with bobby pins at the crown of your head and sleep on it like that. When you wake up, take the bobby pins out. You will have a relaxed look without all that frizz around your forehead!

4) Never use a blow dryer…repeat never use a blow dryer!!! Use a diffuser. Either a whole separate thing from your hairdryer or you can attach one to your hairdryer. If you want to look like a lion, go ahead and try blowdrying your hair without a diffuser.

5) While in the shower, comb out your hair with a wide tooth comb while the conditioner is still in it. Works great but you’ll have to clean out the shower drain after you’re done…

6) Lastly, for any kind of hair…make sure you do get a trim every 6-8 weeks. This will prevent split ends and help to keep healthy hair!

So what do I do with my hair in the morning? Usually I just let it do whatever it wants…those are the days I get the most compliments! When I go out of my way to spend extra time on a do…no one even really notices. Doesn’t make much sense to me. Does anyone else have any hair tips to share or quick ways to style your hair in the morning before work? I’d love to hair more…get it?

By LB

Shopping Between Seasons

I love this time of year...cookouts and beach days...warm summer sun on my skin and a frosty margarita in hand... Okay, so I am day dreaming a little. I am really at work, in my cubicle, writing to you. I look forward to plenty of summer fun this time of year, but something else I look forward to is... shopping!

I love "between season" shopping, in my book that is some of the best shopping there is! "Between season" shopping is when you can find all the wear-now summer deals (lots of sales and clearance!) and be the first to sample the new merchandise for the fall at the same time! I was at the mall last weekend and that was just what I found, plenty of racks of markdowns (I picked up cute cargo shorts for $10!) and new arrivals to start off my fall wardrobe.

But who wants to spend a beautiful summer day at the mall? I would rather shop right where I am...at work, in my cubicle, checking out the deals and steals at metrostyle.com. Think I will do that right now...

by Suzy

The Fit - Behind the Scenes

I am fascinated by anyone that can sew! I can hem pants...very poorly.

I went to visit my friend in the Tech Design department and she let me snap some photos to share with you. She was working on this blazer...You can see she has a slit in the seam and it's taped where she is modifying the waist measurement and pinned to adjust the sweep. That would be the part that goes around your hips.One of the responsibilities of the Tech Design department is to fit garments on our Fit Model (a live person) and ensure a proper fit. I used to love going to fit sessions and seeing all of the new styles before anyone else! When a garment arrives to our offices, the Tech Designer measures many points and matches the measurements against our requested measurements. The factory sends their Fit Sample along with their paper pattern that they used to make the garment. It pretty much looks like what you'd get at a fabric store, but made from scratched based on our requested measurements. (see below)
In some cases the Tech Designer will create a revised pattern to improve the armhole curves or other fit details of the garment after reviewing the factory's paper pattern. This is the TD working on a revised paper pattern. She is literally drawing the sleeves of the garment so the factory can cut the fabric to the correct measurements.
When we give the factory comments based on our Fit Session, the TD will advise to increase or decrease certain measurements. However, there may be times where it is much easier to do this by drawing a picture. The TD makes a rough sketch of the garment pattern and indicates the new measurements on the computer. Pretty Cool!
After the factory receives the fit comments they send a revised garment for our review and the fun starts all over again!

-Kyndall

Poll: How Do You Wear the Poplin Shirt?

The button front poplin shirt is a classic that never goes out of style. Practically everyone has at least one in their closet. (I know I have at least two in white!)

It also happens to be one of the most-purchased items at metrostyle, and so we're always trying new ways to photograph it...you know, to keep it fresh! The question is…what is the best way to wear the poplin shirt in real life?

Which of the following is your favorite styling option?

Of course, we’re always looking for NEW ways to show this tried-and-true favorite. Got any suggestions?


Results from the previous poll:

Neon is ok, but scrunchies are not!

You’ve all seen that many style elements of the 80’s have returned - acid wash denim, neon colors (love it!), high top sneakers... and i’m just waiting to see who’s the first designer to take extreme tribute inspiration from michael jackson’s 80’s style.

one trend i haven’t seen yet, is hypercolor - fabrics that change color depending on temperature. they were fun, yet sometimes annoying shirts that made everyone leave their handprints on your back! i don’t know what they could do to it for it’s 2009 update, but i think it would be great, in a funny way.

A couple of trends that i haven’t seen yet, and sort of hoping i never do:

* oversized t-shirts with t-shirt clips on the side

* big over-teased-hairsprayed bangs

i'm sure there are more - what am i forgetting?

by shirley

Hair-Brained Idea

So about two months ago I was looking in the mirror and I thought to myself “my hair needs a change” and because I am impulsive and impatient my next thought was “Its just bangs I’m sure I can cut them just as good as the hairdresser, it can’t be that difficult” So I got out my scissors (pampered chef kitchen shears) and a comb and proceeded to massacre my poor hair. Little by little my bangs got shorter and shorter but they never quite got straight. I stopped the madness when my bangs were about an inch above my eyebrow. They were just long enough to put in a clip and hide from my peers. I am only able to write about this experience now because my bangs have grown out enough to be cut straight without being to short. The lesson to be learned here is never cut your own hair. If you think your hair needs a change try some hot rollers or a straightening iron or maybe even some cute hair accessories. Never ever cut your own hair it is not as easy as it looks.

by Sara

Gym Fashion Intervention

Fashion is everywhere...even at the one place I never thought it would be...the gym! I'll admit I dress like a 'bum' when I workout but I love it. For me, it's all about being comfortable and getting in a good workout. A couple of my girlfriends dress really cute when they workout but it's just not my thing!
Anyway a few weeks back I went to the gym in my mens XL sweatpants & my favorite hooded sweatshirt (which by the way is covered in paint). That night, my friends told me it's time for a "gym fashion intervention." I had never heard of such a thing. They made me a list of gym fashion "do's & don'ts" which I thought was absolutely hysterical. Needless to say, I didn't completely abide by their list but I did buy myself one cute new outfit. Check it out ...so comfy & cute! My friends were very proud of me even though I still wore the XL.

Michael Jackson: Style Icon

I think it's safe to say Michael Jackson was an icon of style who reinvented his look every few years. What was your favorite style era of the King of Pop? Let us know in the comments. (My personal favorite is MJs look in the early 90s for the release of 'Black or White': a flowing white dress shirt over a simple white T contrasted by jet-black slacks, his signature loafers and catcher's shin guards to boot).






By Jon

Gadget Fashion

Being a guy, I have a penchant for gadgets and always center my purchasing decisions on what something does rather than how it looks. After talking with a bunch of my female friends, however, I was surprised to find out that many of them pick out a phone, laptop, tv or appliance based on whether or not it will go with their sense of style.

Is this the case with the metroinsider readers? Let us know in the comments about purchases you've made where the physical appearance of a gadget was the chief motivating factor.

If you're a gadget fan like me definitely check out gizmodo, engadget and Boing Boing Gadgets for all the latest news and reviews on everything tech.

By Jon

Shopping for Baby!

As you can imagine working for a women's clothing catalog, there are a lot of women in our office. At any given time you are likely to run in to a few of us who are expecting... but contrary to popular belief, there is nothing "in the water" here. Currently, I am part of that group. My husband and I are expecting our first child, a baby girl, in November! As you can imagine I am quite excited!

I was super excited to find out we are having a girl earlier this month because there are so many cute things for baby girls! I am enjoying shopping for nursery decor and clothing for her. I never thought I could enjoy shopping for someone else as much as myself! Although my husband keeps reminding me to pace myself...I can't resist! I finally understand how babies only wear their clothes once before they grow out of them... there is just too much to choose from!

by Gabby

Editor’s Event in NYC

On July 17th in NYC, magazine editors and reps from online publications came from far and wide to see a special “editors-only” sneak preview of new collections from metrostyle® and Chadwicks™ (metro’s sister company).

Attendees included reps from publications such as Redbook, In Style, Real Simple, Elle, All You, Marie Claire, Health, Cosmopolitan, First and Lucky. Many were working on their October issues and in search the “next best thing.” (Click to see comments from an attendee)

Lucky for us, they found just what they were looking for! The home-run hits of the event included metrostyle’s new polka dot trench, wrap-front jumpsuit, a sassy little yellow & black chemise dress and ankle-zip pants in metro’s new luxe leather (yes leather lovers, we’re upgrading the quality of our leather this season, but shhh…it’s a secret!).


The launch of this line will begin with our new “Wear-Now Collection” in early to mid July, featuring 100+ looks that can transition from summer into fall. The main fall collection will be unveiled shortly after in early August. Stay tuned!

By: Bren B