Love is in the air, and bells are ringing in the ears of brides everywhere. When a lady is planning her wedding, the burning question is usually, “What will I wear?” Many brides are choosing to buck the bridal tradition of sifting through dozens -- or even hundreds -- of starched and bleached designs stored in wedding gown warehouses. Instead, they’re opting to personalize the dress they’ll wear when they say “I do.”

 “The first question I ask a bride is, ‘How do you want to feel that day?’” says designer Jennifer Butler. “Maybe she wants to feel

Read More

There’s no shortage of fashionable Fairfield County neighbors, and I met plenty in 2010. Personal stylists, local designers and people who just know how to rock the right shoe—they all made our towns a little bit prettier last year. This is my shout out to 2010’s top ten stylish locals.

10. Diana Garcia – Diana’s international flair was unmistakable this fall. She rocked seasonal colors and a mod style that made her stand out in a crowd.

9. Sarah Manning – Sarah worked 2010’s hottest accessory, the fedora. Her backyard barbecues were a little more stylish

Read More

Sometimes all it takes is a great statement piece to take your outfit from boring to brilliant. Millianna Design’s line of eye-poppingly gorgeous jewelry is packed with pieces that have much to say.

One that truly speaks to me is their cuff bracelet, a stunning combination of Czech-fired polished crystals with a snakeskin closure. It’s a lightweight piece with a heavyweight impact. You can wear it with your favorite party dress, but I prefer the drama it brings when paired with jeans and a t-shirt. Talk about total knockout.

All of Millanna’s pieces are handmade stateside. Find them online, or at area boutiques, including Perspectives in Greenwich.

Read More

The financial outlook may be a little overcast, but the fashion forecast for Fairfield County is sunny. More so now that the new boutique, Perspectives, is on the scene.

“We opened on September 14,” says Stacy Young, Perspectives’ proprietor. “It’s such a great area,” she say of her Byram boutique’s location. “There’s tons of foot traffic. It’s a very relaxed part of town. I like to think of it as the SoHo of Greenwich.”

Stacy’s assessment is on the mark. Her shop’s Mill Street home is at the center of Byram’s long-awaited urban renewal nexus.

Read More

Have you found your Worth yet? No? Allow me to introduce you. Worth is a couture line, stripped of pretension, exuding a styled elegance that stands up to the most renowned fashion houses. It just won’t cost you as much.

Why? Well, the answer is in the business model.

“We don’t have brick-and-mortar stores,” says Wilton Worth rep, Stacy Holmen. “And we don’t spend money on advertising. What we provide is high-quality, couture clothing, manufactured in the same European mills as the big-name designers at a fraction of the price.”

She’s not just weaving

Read More

Winged Monkey boutique is no flight of fancy: owner Cathy Vogel has too sharp an eye for quality and design. It’s a unique and remarkably affordable place to shop for yourself and your teenage daughter.

No ruby slippers or blue gingham here. Instead, she stocks many of the best prêt-a-porter labels -- BCBG and their lower price point line, Max and Cleo; Gypsy 05; Élan and Sugar Lips; as well as one-of-a-kind samples from designer trunk shows.  (This sample rack is located toward the back of the store and I highly recommend you spend some time getting acquainted, since

Read More

With talk of a double-dip recession on the lips of every news anchor these days, it’s difficult to argue with the concept of consignment shopping. Mern Palmer-Smith is both a style and a bargain maven. A former fashion model who has graced European catwalks from Paris to Milan, she exudes an elegance that can’t be taught. She’s also the proprietor of the outstanding Double Exposure consignment shop.

In search of a designer bargain? Mern’s got it. There’s literally no designer you won’t find on her expansive racks. And you’ll likely encounter one or two you didn’t

Read More

Walking into Jennifer Butler’s downtown Fairfield atelier feels more like walking into a Manhattan Fashion District studio. Jennifer’s style is edgy and creative, a reflection of her vibrant personality. She’ll tailor make any piece for you, and she’ll try to get you to push the limits of your fashion comfort zone in the process.

“I’ll make any piece a person wants,” Jennifer says as she deftly guides a linen dress under her sewing machine’s needle. “But I’ll also ask ‘Why would you do this, when you can do this?’” This is Jennifer’s approach. There’s

Read More