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.

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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.

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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

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Friday Favorites: January's Friday Five

I absolutely love my Friday Favorites posts and I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it has been to feature, interview, and meet some pretty fabulous people. As a result, the majority of my "Friday Favorites" posts will continue to   showcase interviews with my favorite stores, companies, authors, bloggers.. and all other types of people I adore. In fact, I am very excited to share with you the "Friday Favorites" I have lined up in the weeks to come. I mean, can we just take a second to talk about the upcoming "Friday Favorites" post on  Kym Douglas, Ellen, and the Oscars in March! 

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, I wanted to announce a new "Friday Favorite" series called "Friday Five" where once a month, I will feature the 5 current products & things that I can't get enough of for that particular month. So let's get January's "Friday Five" on a roll...

1. Ashley Sofia's Love & Fury CD

You may remember Ashley as my very first "Friday Favorite". Well, Ashley's debut CD has officially become available on iTunes, as of late last night; and I have to tell you, it's pretty amazing! This is that magical CD you can keep in your car on replay, without skipping  over any tracks.

2. Apple-MacBook Air & Etsy-Case

I recently got the Mac Air and absolutely love it! I have definitely noticed a significant difference in the resolution quality when designing the website, making photos, etc. Definitely is a blogger's dream! The laptop weighs just 2 lbs, making it the perfect travel companion for flying to Indiana. I certainly do not feel like I am missing out on not having a cd compartment, as all of the programs & apps come pre-installed. The adorable case in which I store my laptop in is from Etsy. I call it my "meeting clutch". 

3. Madewell Jacket 

I don't think I've ever been to Indy & not gone shopping with my cousin Kristin while there. During our second shopping adventure of my trip (the first day we went straight to the mall from the airport), I fell in love with the store Madewell. I found this amazing jacket on the clearance rack for $65 & I know that it will be a staple, prized possession in my closet for many years to come. Hopefully February's "Friday Five" can include some kick-butt pants & sparky jewelry to pair with it. 

4. Frozen...yup the Disney Movie!

My cousin and I, who are two grown adults, went to go see this movie at 1pm on MLK day (when kids had the day off from school).  Needless to say, we were the only people in the movie theater without kids. I hesitantly waited for the movie to start thinking a movie rated higher than G may have been a better choice. But from the first moment i started, I was captivated. My feet tapped along as I listened to the song "performances" and found myself sitting at the edge of my seat when the castle did in fact become "frozen". And you better believe I clapped along with the 6 year old sitting next to me when the credits rolled.   

But don't just take my word for it, go out and see the movie for yourself! The songs remind me of the ones from Broadway play "Wicked", and Kristen Bell gives Kristen Chenoworth a run for her money as the cutest princess on the block (even if it is just her voice in the movie). 

5. 1-inch Curling Iron

While in Indiana, my cousin curled my hair one day with her 1-inch curling iron. I was genuinely shocked by just how much longer my hair looked than normal  (hey, I'll take every inch I can get). Typically, I use a 2 inch barrel & while I love the look of my hair curled, it's tough to have to see it "shrink" before my eyes. Therefore, when I got home, I ran out and bought a 1-inch curling iron for myself. This little baby has definitely been added to my daily routine. 

...Kind of a random bunch of favorite things, but then again that's how the Creatively Lu blog, in general, rolls. A random assortment of thoughts that all comes together to create a beautiful and more fulfilling life!

And like always, I'd love to hear what you all think. Maybe you have an item that you think I may like for February's "Friday Five" or a suggested "Friday Favorite" featured person or company. I'd  love to hear from you all; just email me (creativelylu@yahoo.com) or send me a message on the Creatively Lu Facebook page. 

Below is your daily dose of inspiration, inspired by one of my forever favorite's: Miss Maddie May! Maddie is the daughter of Creatively Lu's new weekly contributor, Heather Rose. Auntie Lu loves you very much, Miss Maddie!

Maddie May, 16 Months
Photo Courtesy of: Heather Rose

Create a Fabulous Friday everyone!

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Friday Favorites:Favorite Consignment App- Poshmark

As many of you know, I love a good bargain. I’ve been dubbed a “Maxionista” by many friends and  salespeople and love the thrill of rummaging through a store to find the golden, bargain needle in the haystack. When I discover an amazing find,  I relish in the feeling of chills going up and down my spine and may even partake in a triumphant dance that rivals any touchdown celebration in the endzone.

But as much as I love a good find, I  love the thrill of consigning items even more.  So listen up, because I'm sure that many of you may have received some Christmas gifts that might not have been on your wishlist...

 I am quite a minimalist when it comes to my  closet. I have a few staple items for fashion category, such as 3 "go to" pairs of night-out jeans, my everyday jewelry pieces, and a few pairs of shoes. I like to feel good in what I wear and forget about the rest. It is such a good feeling to know that whatever you lay out to wear on the night before, will look good the next day.


After all, it is the worst feeling having to arrive late to work because you had to try everything on in your closet before you could find something that works. I would also argue that it is an even worse feeling to have to clean up said huge pile of clothes that evening when you return home.

Twice  a year, I partake in a major closet overhaul, in which I remove any pieces that I haven’t worn for a few months. I then try on those items and determine whether they are worth keeping. If I put on an item on and it’s just “blah,” I put it in the “don’t keep” pile. From this “don’t keep” pile I have donated many clothes to charity, as well as to some pretty happy friends. However, this past year, I have also made a pretty hefty sum of money by selling some of the clothes and accessories online. 

 By simply snapping a picture of the item I want to sell with my iPhone & uploading it onto the Poshmark app, I have made over $500 in clothes sales alone! The feeling of making money off an item that has just been sitting in your closet, is second to none. That's why I love the site Poshmark. 

Poshmark is a simple way to sell fashion from your iPhone or Android. You create a digital closet by snapping pictures of the items you wish to sell and listing each piece for whatever price you deem fit. Thousands of shoppers look through your digital closet and leave "likes" and comments on the items they are interested in. Once you have reached a negotiated price for your item, the interested buyer then purchases the item through a secure checkout on Poshmark. As the seller, you are then emailed a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping label to package your sold item with. Once the package has been shipped and the buyer has confirmed that they have received it, Poshmark deposits your payment into your Poshmark account-balance.

I, myself, have made over $500 off Poshmark! Therefore, I wanted to share a tutorial on "how to list" your items, as well  as share a few, key tips for selling on Poshmark "like a Boss." 

I hope that you now feel prepared to make some extra cash by selling your unused items hanging in your closet on Poshmark. Pin these tips in order to ensure that you know how to Poshmark "like a boss." 

I am also very excited to report that there are some pretty amazing Friday Favorites coming up in the near future. So keep an eye out for those posts over the next couple of Fridays. Below is your daily dose of inspiration.

   

Create a great Friday and stay warm! 

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Friday Favorites- Fashion edition: Threads & Mane

Photo Courtesy of: Threads and Mane

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been on Pinterest, "pinning" amazing fashion outfits and have thought to myself: I would of never thought to have paired "that" with "that".  I always wonder who  those cool, fashion chicks are who can pull off mixing styles, such as leopard & flannel, and really make an outfit WORK. Well recently, I stumbled across the fashion blog- Threads and Mane, and the two ladies behind this blog are "those chicks" that make it "work."

 The Girls Behind Threads and Mane

The "threads" of Threads and Mane, is fashion/accessories lover and expert Ashley Thomas, while the girl behind the "mane" is hair/beauty/jewelry lover and expert Danielle Lareau. Ashley and Danielle started Threads and Mane as a creative fashion outlet to explore after work hours. Living just a block away from one another in South Boston, Ashley and Danielle had been spending the majority of their free time together, discussing all things beauty and fashion. As they constantly turned to one another when planning their outfits...down to their nail polish, to discus new beauty finds, and discover new places around the Boston area; they realized they should launch a blog to inspire others. 

Why I love Threads and Mane

I absolutely adore fashion, but when I walk into my closet, I often find myself overwhelmed by the idea of having to put an outfit together. Therefore, I tend to stick with a few "go to" items such as a pair of leggings and a chunky sweater. So to me, Danielle and Ashley are awe-inspiring fashionistas that I would love to be able to "call up" everyday, asking them how to "amp up" my basics. Luckily, however, their blog feels a lot like having them on speed-dial.

When I see their beautiful fashion shoots taken on the streets of Boston, I feel inspired to go back into my closet and choose something a little more daring like a sparkly necklace and leopard booties to pair with that sweater and leggings. 

Aside from the style section of Threads and Mane, I also really enjoy their "Beauty" section of the blog which features easy hair tutorials (like the DIY bun tutorial below) and time and money saving, makeup product reviews. Their "Life" section features local area reviews, in which I discovered there is a blowout bar down the street from me!

Since reading the Threads and Mane blog and pinning their pins (they have the best fashion pins), I have definitely created a keener eye for fashion and learned a heck of a lot more about beauty. 

So on this edition of Friday Favorites, I am saying "cheers" to these two fashion-rocking, "make-it-work" ladies! Thank you both for launching a blog that covers all the bases of beauty and fashion. I look forward to reading for many years to come and encourage all of you to do the same.  

Below are a couple of Ashley and Danielle's favorite things, along with Friday's dose of inspiration, inspired by Threads and Mane, of course.

 Create a great Friday, and I hope that Ashley and Danielle have inspired you all to go  into your closets and choose a bolder outfit that you can "work" this weekend. 

Photo Courtesy of: Threads and Mane

*Check out Threads and Mane on their website, & follow them on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and  Instagram.

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