Friday Favorites-Fashion Edition: I've Got a Crush

Today's Friday Favorites comes at just the perfect time because it's almost Valentine's day and I have a major CRUSH on the amazing Boston fashion boutique Crush. Let me explain how I came to be matched with my fashion crush..

A few week's ago, I received an email from the fashion startup company, Boutikey. Boutikey is a new mobile app that launched yesterday!  (Lookout for a Friday Favorite Feature on them soon!) that connects fashion boutiques with their customers. It's sort of like an Instagram for boutiques, where there is a fashion trend page, sales and promo announcements, and you can acquire store credit points for shopping.

 Boutikey asked to feature my favorite looks from a Boston boutique on their mobile app and it was a no brainer that I chose my long-time favorite, Crush.

Crush Boutique is located on Newbury Street and in Boston's Beacon Hill. They specialize in providing customers with a well-edited collection of the best in women's contemporary fashion. From celebrity loved lines like Alex + Olivia, J Brand, and House of Harlow to a variety of up-and-comping designers like Yumi Kim and Rory Beca, Crush offers an unmatched, fashion forward experience. In addition to the two stores, they also offer an expansive online store.

As a result, it is no surprise that Crush has received quite a lot of awards in Boston these past few years. From Best of the New for 2008 by Boston Globe Magazine, Boston's Best for Women's Moderate Clothing in 2011 by The Improper Bostonian, Boston's Best for Party Dresses in 2012 by The Improper Bostonian, Boston's Best for Women's Moderate Clothing in 2013 by The Improper Bostonian, and was nominated for Boston Magazine's Best of Boston 2013 Reader's Choice in the Best Clothing - Women's Casual category, I guess you could say that I'm not the only one with a major fashion crush on Crush.

This past week I got to fulfill my fashion dream. I partnered with Boutikey to do a photo-shoot at Crush wearing my favorite outfits from the store. To top it all off, I got to bring along my best friend, Jackie. Talk about two kids in a candy store!

So without further ado, here are my 5 favorite looks from Crush...

Look #1: the Animal Skirt that Makes me Want to Twirl

 Amanda Uprichard Forever Shirt Skirt in Black Skirt and Purple Leopard skirt

Look #2: The Lace Open Back Stunner

Alice & Olivia Open-Back Stunner

Look #3: Comfy,Warm Sweater & Red Infinity Scarf

Dolta Vita Dorid Sweater with 7 for all Mankind leather-like Skinnies
and Paula Bianco Chunky Knit Infinity Scarf

Look #4: Open Back Sweater & Leather Skinnies

Twelth Street Leather Strap Tank, BB Dakota Sweater, & Joes Jeans, The Skinny in Dorothy

Look #5: The Black Leather Maxi Dress & Chunky Cardigan

Alice & Olivia Black leather Maxi and Olive & Oak NYC Sweater with A Mano Trading Pendant Necklace

*For more on Crush, check out their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram pages.
*Download the Boutikey app here!

Below is your daily dose of inspiration inspired by Crush & Boutikey...

Create a Fashionable Friday!

I also just want to give another big ol' shoutout to my bestie, hairdresser, stylist, and makeup artist Jackie Angelos who did my hair and makeup for the shoot. Below is a closer look at the subtle blonde ombre hair she did.

*If you live in the South-Boston area, I encourage you to visit Jackie at LA Express in Stoughton, MA where she is an incredible hair dresser. You can contact her through Style Seat or via email: jckangelos@yahoo.com.

*Now you can follow Creatively LU on BlogLovin' for a daily email notifying you of that day's topic. 

*To follow the Creatively Lu posts daily,  "like" the FB page .

* Follow @Creatively Lu on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Friday Favorites-Fashion edition: the Sail Loft

Today's Friday Favorites features the Sail Loft, a clothing boutique that provides a unique blend of technical sailing outerwear, preppy outfitting, and women's boutique fashion. In other words, there is definitely something for everyone to chose from. I have included a few of my favorite looks below. But first, I want to introduce you to Rob Noe and Peter Mugford, the owners of this incredible store.

How the Sail Loft Set Sail...

"Like" the Sail Loft on Facebook

"Follow" on Instagram

Highschool friends, Robert Noe and Peter (PJ) Mugford began selling a variety of novelty t-shirts to college students in 2007. PJ and I went to Union College together, where he was synonymous for selling t-shirts out of his backpack. Whether by offering "Rack Em" tees to nearby students in the cafe, or pacing on the phone with a client outside the library, PJ was always quite the entrepreneur. Quickly, he and Robert, who had also been actively selling tshirts as a freshman at UMass Lowell, had received so much recognition for their tshirts that they launched "Rack 'Em Tees", an online store in order to their orders across the nation. Soon Rob and PJ's business began to pick up serious momentum and by the following year, PJ and Rob received an offer to buy out their "Rack Em" online business. Rather than sell the company and live comfortably like many sophomores in college may have done, PJ and Rob accepted the offer and instantly moved on to their next project, Custom Universe. Custom Universe began as an online store that offered high-end, Patagonia jackets and sweatshirts, embroidered with college logos.  The school apparel became a huge hit in college bookstores across the nation.

With the success of Custom U, PJ and Rob allocated the funds necessary to open an apparel store for men called the Sail Loft in 2011 in the heart of Nantucket. Two summers later, they opened Her Sail Loft, a women's apparel store, next-door.

Sail Loft Nantucket
4 Southwater St.
Nantucket, MA
508-228-4491

Anchoring on the Main Land

In December 2013, Rob and PJ took the Sail Loft to the mainlands, opening a third location in Chestnut Hill Square.  The new boutique combines the best of the two Nantucket originals  (The Sail Loft and Her Sail Loft).  Sail Loft  Chestnut Hill features timeless, nautical and contemporary styles with a true New England twist. Designers featured in the store include Tory Burch, Trina Turk, Rory, Beca, Ellie Kai, Joie, Mara Hoffman, DVF, Ted Baker, VInce, Rebecca Taylor, and Persol among others. For the men, Sail Loft Chestnut Hill offers traditional Sail Loft original apparel, as well as the popular men brands Harding Lane, Collared Greens, Kiel James Patrick, among others. 

Sail Loft Chestnut Hill
200 Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill, MA
617-487-8608

Shopping Spree

Last Monday, Jackie and I went over to the new Sail Loft location in Chestnut Hill Square. As someone who is not a huge fan of preppy clothing, I was delightfully surprised to find many, many options that I fell in love with. Each time I made my way back to the dressing room, I found yet another option that I just had to grab. Below are just a few of my favorite looks, as well as a pretty big deal the boys are currently running...

 Special Promo!

For every $500 spent, receive a FREE pair of Tory Burch Sunglasses.
Redeem promo code at counter: promoSLTB14.

'

Those are just a few of the outfits that I loved while browsing the Sail Loft racks but I highly, highly encourage you all to head on over and see the store for yourself. Chestnut Hill Square is a great location with lots to do. You can stop in for a spin class at Soul Cycle, grab a latte at Starbucks, dine at Seasons 52, shop at Sail Loft, and end with some Red Mango ice cream. 

Thanks PJ and Rob for letting me raid your store! I also want to thank their manager Calista who is the sweetest person in the world and was so helpful with putting together outfits and accessorizing. 

And now for your daily dose of inspiration, inspired by PJ and Rob...

Owners Rob Noe & PJ Mugford
Hummock Pond, Nantucket MA
September 2013

Finally, its important to me to give a huge shoutout to my bestie, hairdresser, stylist, and makeup artist Jackie Angelos who took the photos and helped me to stay focused, despite wanting to try on the entire store. On this particular day, we actually did another photoshoot for the mobile app Boutiquey so Jackie had to endure a very long day of shooting. If you live in the South-Boston area, I encourage you to visit her at LA Express in Stoughton, where she is an incredible hair dresser. 

Create a fashionable Friday everyone!

*To Contact Jackie Angelos: Message her on Style Seat or Facebook

*Now you can follow me on BlogLovin' for a daily email notifying you of that day's topic. 

*To follow the Creatively Lu posts daily,  "like" the FB page .

* Follow @Creatively Lu on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Wordless Wednesdays: All Hail Queen B

Mrs Carter Tour at TD Garden
Boston, MA, December 2013
Photo Courtesy of: Tory Stone

Today is a Grammy edition of Wordless Wednesday with a picture of Beyonce from her Mrs. Carter tour-stop in Boston last month. She clearly worked it like always.

"Giving up on your goal because of one setback
is like slashing your other 3 tires
because you got a flat"

Create a beautiful Wednesday everyone!

*Now you can follow me on BlogLovin' for a daily email notifying you of that day's topic. 

*To follow the Creatively Lu posts daily,  "like" the FB page .

* Follow @Creatively Lu on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.