Greetings ModLovers, Lindsay here with the newest installment of Outfit of the Week. For your consideration, we’re going to venture into the glamorous world of art benefits! Last Saturday, I attended Pittsburgh’s sixth annual Hothouse – an event to raise money for The Sprout Fund, a non-profit organization that supports local art and grassroots community projects throughout the Pittsburgh area. A showcase of local bands, gourmet food, and innovative projects set the tone for a night I won’t soon forget.

As you may have guessed, dressing for such an event isn’t something that should be taken lightly – press, photographers, and local trend setters always come out with bells on. I wanted to stay comfortable enough to dance the night away, yet stylish enough to turn heads and keep the flash bulbs hot. The perfect solution was simple (yet oh-so pretty) – The Lady In Red Dress by ModCloth favorite BB Dakota. I was looking for the perfect excuse to treat myself to this vintage inspired beauty, and what’s better than a night on the town? Sure, I could have stopped at a new dress, but what fun would that be? The Angels Envy heels not only feature the perfect matching hue, but a dance floor friendly cone heel that keeps a girl feeling good while looking better.

If you’re not already familiar with The Bittersweet Belt, take notice before its too late! This versatile belt has turned many of my favorite outfits into signature looks. Granted, the dress is fabulous on its own, but a belt is an easy way to get that put together vibe that all well accessorized girls strive for. Top it off with The Hotchkiss Headband and a glint of shine with the Bird By Bird Necklace and let the festivities begin.

Needless to say the evening was a hit. $130,000 was raised for a worthy cause and from what my camera shows, a good time was had by all. Now I have to wait patiently for next year’s epic party. In the meantime, I’ll work on my next featured outfit. Don’t forget to hug your local non-profit and as always, happy shopping!

Hi ModClothers, Sari here, as the newest addition to the Mod Blog team I’d like to introduce myself! First, I’m a buyer for ModCloth, which is just about the best job in the world! I also partake in styling and description writing for ModCloth. Coincidently, thrifting is probably my favorite activity, it’s definitely the closest a non meat eater like myself will ever come to the thrill of the hunt. Aside from shopping I enjoying going to shows and dancing any chance I get, watching old movies (especially French ones) and tv shows that (for one reason or another) sadly aren’t on anymore.

As for my personal style, someone once described my look as “urban Calamity Jane” (cowboy boots and scarves play a reccurring role in my outfit choices). I adore vintage finds and simple basics (or better yet- mixing the two) and despite any profound sense of patriotism, I’m unequivocally drawn to combinations of red, white and blue.

As a buyer I get to travel a lot and (not to brag) but we get to go to some pretty awesome places! For the ModLife blog I’ll be posting about what we do and what we see on the road as well as back home in street style and day in the life posts. I also do styling for ModCloth and I’ll be sharing my personal style in Modcloth Outfit / Outfit of the Week posts. I can’t wait to share my ideas and experiences with you all!

You may have noticed ModCloth’s recent abundance of peacock and bird fare. We hope you’re as excited as we are!

As you also may have noticed, over the past year or so, designers like Alexander McQueen have been featuring avian accents on their lines, ranging from literal imagery like this dress from Anna Sui to bird-inspired patterns, like this dress from Falguni & Shane. In addition, fashionistas everywhere have been snapped in dresses with feathered hems and accessories (who can forget Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Proenza-Schouler dress at last year’s Oscars?)

In Fall/Winter 2008, we’re still seeing this trend thrive on the runways, but with more and more peacock-specific product. But why?

For starters, bold and iridescent color is a beautiful way to transition from lighter summer fare to autumn’s layered looks with a palette reminiscent of changing foliage. It’s also practical- the peacock spectrum allows for a fluid incorporation of blues, greens, purples, gold, and similar jewel-tones into one ensemble.

We also think the popularity of this trend might have something to do with the spirit of the peacock–exotic, extravagant, confident. Male peacocks flash their pretty plumage in order to attract mates, and this trend allows us to capture some of their flirty flair. What better way to garner a little attention for ourselves than by borrowing the rich patterns and hues of the peacock?

So, how might you work this trend into your outfits? That’s where ModCloth comes in! You can wear our new peacock-inspired accessories with almost anything–which means you don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe to capture this style. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Peacock jewelry subtly incorporates exotic flair into an outfit.

Clockwise from Above: Lovely Peacocks Bracelet; Heart of a Peacock Necklace; Pensive Peacock Earrings; Peacock Jubilee Wallet; Peacock Feather Earrings.

Using the jewel-toned tights at Zac Posen’s fall runway show as inspiration, incorporate the shades from the peacock color wheel:

Clockwise from top left: Cerulific Purse; Glitterati Purse; Street Market Pashmina, Purple Star Astrology Flats.

If you’re still feeling a little shy about taking the plumage plunge, try some lingerie. It’ll stay your little secret.

Peacock Plumage Undies

But if you’re feeling a little bolder, try these with a jewel-toned dress…

Peacock Feather Tights

Have any peacock-y ideas of your own? We’d love to hear them!

Every day a new dress or two is born on ModCloth and this one is extra special because YOU helped us name it.  We were absolutely blown away with the sheer number of responses (818!),  not to mention how clever and creative they all were.  We noticed that a lot of you were inspired to name this dress something French, while others thought it could have been a staple in any flapper’s wardrobe.  For many of you, the cute cut of the dress reminded you of school and we even saw our fair share of literary references (yay!).  But sadly there could only be one winner, so without further ado, ModCloth proudly presents…

The Clara Bow Dress!

We chose this name because the witty wordplay fits the dress perfectly and it channels such a lovely woman, the silent movie star and “it girl” of the Roaring 20s, Ms. Clara Bow.  Winner Opal Ray even included a picture of Ms. Bow wearing a dress that bears a striking resemblance to our own little gray one.

Honorable mentions include “Stella by Starlight, ” “The Mass Romantic,” and “The Dusty Springfield.”

So, congratulations Opal, and thank you to everyone who participated! It was our most successful contest to date and we loved reading through each and every one of your comments.  As promised, you have all received your first A+ of the year!

Hello ModLovers, Lindsay here. I am bringing you the first installment of my “Outfit of the Week” piece. Each week, I’ll venture into new and (hopefully) exciting style ideas plucked from the pages of ModCloth.com! As an expert/owner of a good portion of the wonderful items we bring to your life, I hope to shed some extra insight into the versatile world of our clothing.

In my inaugural week, I bring you my take on the essential back to school garb. The standards are covered – plaid a plenty, outstanding oxfords – but with a figure flattering update that moves from the classroom to the cafe with couture to spare, you can turn heads while you turn the pages of your required reading.

I started with the Brazen Beauty Mini Dress. An easy to match blue is subtle and wearable, but don’t be deceived – this is not your average jumper. Weathered gold buttons add a unique touch to this look, while a loose cut and matching belt assure a perfect fit for almost any shape. Next, the shoes! The Literary Love Heels by shoe guru Jefferey Campbell are studious style incarnate. These leather bound lovelies feature classic stitching and a 4.5 inch heel that will take your studies to new heights. And finally, lets accessorize. Any good fashion student knows well chosen accessories can mean the difference between fashion forward and fashion roadkill. The Deciduous Scarf is soft and fall friendly while adding a unique touch of color, and The Poets Golden Cuff, while unhelpful with your literature homework, crosses the “t”s and dots the “i”s (if you catch my drift).

I would add some joke about this outfit “making the grade”, but I’ll let you fill in that blank for yourself. Enjoy the weather, enjoy your wardrobe, and as always, happy shopping!

Greetings fellow fashion lovers, my name is Lindsay Williams. I am the Lead Writer, Assistant Buyer, and one of the Photoshoot Stylists for ModCloth.com. I am responsible for many of the quips you find in our descriptions, a portion of the wonderful clothing you lovingly incorporate into your wardrobes, and a quite a bit of the beautiful and quirky outfits our models wear oh-so-well.
I was born in scenic Pittsburgh, PA, where I quickly developed a love for fancy dresses and elegant shoes. After a short lived tomboy phase, I came back to my first true love – dressing up. I am a master thrift store shopper, a mediocre (but improving) knitter, and an admirer of all things pretty. I have a penchant for 1920’s fashion, although my personal style tends to gravitate to the 70’s. My favorite Ebay search is “BoHo”, and I’d give my soul for a kelly green 3/4 length sleeve cardigan and perfect beige pumps. Norwegian, Finnish and Japanese street style blogs will always have a special place in my heart (as well as professional football and hockey), and I couldn’t live without my brown boot collection (6 pairs and counting). That’s me in a (hopefully stylish) nutshell.
So here I am with the ModTeam working a job I love, and I’d like to pass that passion on to you, loyal blog readers. Outfit of the week, street style, name that item contests – and anything else you’d like to see – will be right here waiting like your favorite antique chair. Feel free to contact me at lindsay@modcloth.com with suggestions, questions, or to tell me about things you simply can’t live without. Thanks for reading, and happy shopping!

You may remember that back in February, we held a “Name That Cardigan” competition. It was so much fun for us to read through the hundreds of fabulous submissions, but needless to say, it was a difficult job to narrow it down to our favorite. We knew our customers were stylish, but never guessed you were so pop-culture savvy and witty!

With fall approaching, we’ve been doing A LOT of shopping for new items. You may have seen that we already have some great new products for our Back to School line, but every day we get more. While this is a fun and exciting time at ModCloth, we’re so busy! There are boxes and boxes of new items and our product description writers are in creative overdrive–trying on new clothes, pacing the floor with furrowed brows, and typing feverishly–all in hopes of creating the perfect names. So, we need your help again. We’re enlisting you to name the dress pictured below. Leave your idea (or ideas!) as a comment on this blog post before Friday, August 22nd at midnight to be in the running. Feel free to post as often as you like and have fun!

The winner will be announced Monday, August 25th. In addition to the fame and the giddy excitement that accompanies naming your very own ModCloth dress, the winning writer will receive the dress in her size (sorry, this one is only available in S, M, L), in addition to an Orange You Glad Tote, Heart of a Peacock Necklace, Madame Bovary Ring, and Eye of the Tiger Sunglasses. Get in the school spirit with a writing assignment that’s actually fun; we promise you all an A+. So, put on your most stylish thinking cap and get naming!