As a hip, arty freelance graphic designer, long time YLF forum member and East Coast native Maya was the first person I thought of when the opportunity arose to review products from YesStyle.com. The company gave her a budget of $200 to road test some of their items and this is how it went.

When I close my eyes and daydream about my fantasy wardrobe, I envision a closet full of trendy, arty, and urban looks that capture my style persona and suit my lifestyle. It is no secret that this fantasy was greatly shaped by my fabulous Korean and Chinese roommates whose killer sense of style immediately appealed to me, and with good reason: Asian street style is playful, trendy, and edgy with a good dose of practicality. For years, I have been trying to make this style my own with varying levels of success. While some American retailers come close, I maintain that the best way to get the look is to shop locally. Unfortunately, I won’t be going to Seoul or Hong Kong any time soon, but thanks to Angie’s fairy-godmotherlike ability to make dreams come true, I came pretty close. With a wave of her magic wand, Angie introduced me to Stefan Janssens, Internet Marketing Manager for YesStyle.com, who provided me with the opportunity to road test a few popular Korean apparel brands.

I took no time getting to work and selecting my goods, and as I clicked through the website, a few things quickly became apparent:

• You’ll need to be small: Many of the clothes I saw were one size fits all and cut for a straight and petite frame. Based on my experience, the Asian “one size fits all” spectrum can potentially encompass US sizes 0-6, depending upon how generously cut the garment is. At a curvy size 4, I had to be discriminating about the cut and style of my final selections. Happily, YesStyle has the garment measurements listed for each item, so there was no guess work required. In the end, I stuck to tunics, tops, and dresses and had no issues with fit.
• You’ll need to be daring: YesStyle is not for the faint of fashion heart. As someone who is always looking past the style horizon, this is a bonus to me, but if your style is classic and flop-proof, you might feel out of your element. The 80’s and 90’s revivals were in full swing with plaid, leggings, distressed jeans, legwarmers, oversized tunics, and shoulder pads. Fabulous!
• You’ll need to be young: The clothes on YesStyle are, for the most part, casual and trendy. Having youth on your side will open up a lot more options, but as always, style is in the wearer as long as you remain selective.
• You’ll need to act fast: Items on YesStyle sell out quickly, so it is best not to wait on making a purchase. If you order directly from the Hong Kong warehouse, your order will ship more quickly. Items which are not in stock at the warehouse can add up to 7 days to the shipping process. You can filter the items that are readily available by checking off the “in stock” box.

What you make of the quality will depend on what you are used to and what your lifestyle demands. As a budget-restrained 25 year old with a casual lifestyle, I do not require (or even desire) luxurious fabrics and a polished look, so most of the clothes I received from YesStyle passed my filter without a hitch. If you like shopping at H&M and Forever 21, you will probably like YesStyle as well. As always, there will be some variation between brands and even individual garments in terms of quality and fit, but among the brands I tried, I was very pleased. The service I received was excellent and I will surely be shopping with YesStyle in the future!

The tops and dresses in these outfits are the YesStyle items I put to the test, while the camisoles, bottoms, footwear and accessories are my own. They mixed in perfectly with my wardrobe!

Mainstream chain store Anne Taylor have evolved their merchandise mix and I’m excited about the changes. They used to offer a strictly modern classic look that focused on business attire. But no longer. The Ann Taylor label has incorporated items that are “of this fashion moment”: Boyfriend blazers, biker jackets, straight leg jeans, cascading cardigans and ruffle tops that are as trendy as they are fabulous. They’ve also supplemented their collections with designer wear. This has been the most interesting addition.

I’ve never been an Ann Taylor clothing customer because their look was a tad classic for my trendier fashion persona, and their fits did not work for my body type. But I do purchase their costume jewelry and I’ve taken plenty of very happy clients to their stores. So I have been a fan, even if it wasn’t for my own wardrobe. I love, love, love their quality. Their product is clean, crisp and beautifully made. They offer a wide assortment of sizes (00 to 16) and have an especially good petites section. They also regularly offer discount coupons, which comes in handy because their prices aren’t cheap.

But now that Ann Taylor has changed its look and adjusted some of their fits, I’ve got two of their frocks hanging in my closet. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen in stores over the last few months and they’ve certainly won me over as a regular lurker. Their trendier look has also gone down well with my clients, so from my side it’s all good.

I’m not sure that this change is good for all Ann Taylor shoppers. Becoming a more fashion forward retailer has its downside. What do you think of Ann Taylor’s fashion forward statement? Have you noticed the change? Are you an Ann Taylor customer? If not, why not?

Talbots classic merchandise is traditionally aimed at an older target market, but that’s about to change. Starting this season, Talbots is repositioning it’s brand to reflect younger, more modern fashion. Their Fall 2009 look book launched the start of their efforts to send out the new message and it was already met with great approval in the YLF forum.

As many of you guessed, Talbots is also the brand behind the Red Chair Confessions teaser campaign. And as part of this campaign, they gave me the opportunity to check out their new collection. Fabulous! My task as a fashion stylist was to shop at Talbots for myself, and bring along one of my  clients who would shop too. With our $750 gift voucher in hand, Phoebe and I set about our shopping spree in the Seattle downtown store.

Talbots items are known to be beautifully made. I’m a sucker for rich fabrications and superb workmanship and this was the first thing that struck me about their collection. Impeccable quality. Their fabrics have weight and drape so well. The finish on their tailored pieces is amazing. A good first impression.

The colours of the first Fall inputs are lovely. The usual black, grey, white and cream with earth tones, burnt orange, red, olive green and chartreuse. Phoebe and I were excited as we carefully perused both the petites and misses collections, touching and trying on as we moved through the store. We also selected an assortment of tops, bottoms, dresses, jackets and accessories to try on in the fitting room.

The look of this season’s merchandise definitely reflects a younger vibe than it did before. It’s not what I would call trendy, edgy and hip, but certainly modernly classic, stylish, tasteful and absolutely well worth a look. Also, remember that a modern classic item has the potential to look hip in the right ensemble. How you wear an item makes all the difference.

Phoebe liked their dresses and necklaces best, and could have come home with at least four of each. But she stuck to two dresses, one necklace and opted to add a striking black and cream jacket instead (my favourite item in the store). Fashion forward Phoebe wouldn’t have thought to shop at Talbots if she hadn’t accompanied me on the shopping spree. It just goes to show that you can’t leave a retail stone unturned. Each season, retailers earn the chance to impress us with their collections all over again, and this is precisely what Talbots plans to do.

I ran into a size challenge when their smallest size did not fit in either the petites or missus collections. Their fit usually runs big and still does. But I did manage to come home with a few unconstructed pieces that were fine to fit on the roomy side. I’m 5ft 6 and cannot shop in petites because items are too short on the length, rise and torso. But by pushing the sleeves up on petite knitwear and sticking to a shorter top to wear with skirts, I managed to come home with three tops that I adore. I’ve also been after a very plain red, non-patent, structured satchel with subtle gold hardware for ages and came home with one of those too. I’ll enjoy contrasting the classic look of the bag with an edgy outfit.

The promotional activities continue and you can also participate. Talbots has launched the Red Chair Confessions blog, and there is a competition running where you can win your own $250 Talbots gift voucher by making a comment on one of several other participating blogs (contest rules).

A big thank you to Susan and Sandy from Talbots in downtown Seattle for making us feel like princesses as we shopped the store. We wish you every success with your new look collection.

I remember J. Crew as the chain store that was a cut above the rest. They were not mainstream like Banana Republic, Gap or Anne Taylor and there was definitely a level of exclusivity associated with the brand. Their preppy and fashionable products were more expensive, but the quality and drape was impeccable. When you bought an item from J. Crew, you knew you had something fairly special that would last and look good for several seasons. J. Crew also hardly ever went on sale, sticking to two main markdowns a year.

Unfortunately, my impression of J. Crew has changed over the last few seasons because I think they’ve decided to become more mainstream. I’m still super excited when I receive their state of the art catalogs because the colours and ensemble combinations are innovative, attractive and inspiring. But when I get to stores with my clients, I’m usually disappointed because the look, feel and fit does not pack the same punch. The prices are lower than they used to be, but the quality and overall integrity of the merchandise has gone downhill too.

Don’t get me wrong, J. Crew still offers fantastic products and I have a few hanging in my wardrobe. But part of me misses what I know as the old J. Crew. I’ve only lived in America for six years so my perception might be distorted. Am I being unduly harsh? Or am I mistaken that their products used to have more crispness and panache? Do you think the merchandise lives up to the catalog?

Current J. Crew CEO, Mickey Drexler, used to run Gap INC. I can’t help but wonder whether his strategy is to move J. Crew to a more mainstream target audience.

I couldn’t believe my luck when we saw the “Tsonga” sign. I recognized the name immediately. It’s a South African brand of handmade comfort footwear that’s sold all over the world. When I saw the brand name for the first time at Nordstrom several years ago, I suspected that the item would have African heritage. And sure enough, marked in two distinct places on each shoe are the words: “made in South Africa”.

And here we were, in the middle of rural nowhere in South Africa, driving past their factory. Can you believe it. Hah! Intrigued and excited, I dragged Greg and his parents off to see what Tsonga was all about.

We followed the sign along a narrow dirt road to get to the Tsonga premises, which are situated at the foot of the Drakensberg mountain range in Kwazulu-Natal (South Africa). Tsonga looks more like a farm than a factory. So, so beautiful. We parked the car outside the entrance and walked into the factory shop, a small retail space attached to their factory that sells their products at lower prices. It’s always worth looking at factory shops if you’re bargain minded.

The shop was pretty fancy and I was impressed. While my parents-in-law and I were fitting on numerous pairs of shoes, I couldn’t help but notice that the windows and doors of the shop opened out onto a lovely grassy courtyard. It was filled with rural African women sitting on benches singing, yakking and laughing as they skillfully hand stitched shoes. Wow. I was blown away. The entire setting and ambiance at Tsonga was moving. Serene, friendly, productive, and professional. A highly unusual set-up for any production line.

There is a lot of poverty in the rural areas of South Africa. Basic needs, such as housing, food, healthcare and education, are scarce and heart breakingly below par. In the light of these socio-economic conditions, the Tsonga story is especially heartwarming because the brand was established to empower women in the nearby rural village by creating jobs:

“Using their meticulous skills, a community of women are uplifting themselves by crafting Tsonga shoes, turning their abilities into a real future for their children. They are not only stitching a spirit of our African heritage, but the very essence of hope into each Tsonga shoe they sew”.

Back in the shop, my eye caught a pair of creamy, bone-coloured driving shoes, or loafers. They fit perfectly, provide ample support and are as soft as my slippers. Very classic, flat and not everyone’s cup of tea, but they’ll make an excellent pair of transitional weather shoes that can be worn with or without socks. These shoes are about the colour, not the design. They weren’t nearly as appealing in black or brown, but the red was cute too.

Don’t write them off quite yet if you think the style is too classic for your tastes.  Loafers can be worn with spunk if the rest of the ensemble is right, and next month I will write a post on how to make traditional shoes look hip.

Like most comfort shoe brands, Tsonga peds are not fashion forward, but they are superbly made and extremely comfortable. I was never drawn to the ultra classic and somewhat casual styles the brand offers in retail America, but with the best selection on home ground, I was able to support the Tsonga cause and bring home a pair that I love (and have already put through their paces).

You can read more online about the current facts and future plans of the Tsonga Thread of Hope Farm. In addition to hand crafted shoes, Tsonga grows fruit and vegetables for the children of the community day care center and has plans to construct a training college. A thread of hope indeed. Watch out for the Tsonga brand when you next shop for shoes and try on a pair of their peds. They might not be fashion forward, but your foot will love the way they feel while your heart remembers the Tsonga story.

Today’s post is written by fabulous Euro forum member, Inge, who is Belgian and resides in Antwerp. Inge is a freelance translator and personal book shopper whose spunky and creative style is often a source of inspiration on our forum. Inge, LegacyOfPearl and Zeynep recently met for a fun shopping trip in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This is how their delightful day went down.

Recently on a sunny but nippy Saturday morning, I donned my A.B.S. dress and jeans, added my cream bomber jacket and drove to Rotterdam for the first ever European YLF gathering. At the Central Station, fellow YLF member LegacyOfPearl (LOP) and her stylish friend Zeynep were already waiting for me. Unfortunately, Elika had to cancel last-minute and Angie, who had actually been considering flying out here for the event, couldn’t make it either due to other obligations.

A five minute walk brought us to the city centre with its numerous shops, and we decided to systematically work our way down to the Koopgoot (Dutch for “buying gutter”). Zeynep, who has a predilection for Italian clothing, immediately struck gold in a small independent boutique specializing in Italian brands. The earthy colour of the sleeveless dress with pleated skirt looked stunning on her, and it was 50% off!

Next stop was a funky shoe store were LOP fell in love with a suede sand-coloured pair of sandal booties that she ended up buying the next day in Amsterdam. We trotted from shop to shop all the while talking up a storm. Zeynep snapped up a cute gym bag with fluorescent animal print in a discount store and then we hit Mexx. On the sales rack my two lovely companions found me a fantastic dark brown sleeveless dress. The utilitarian vibe was right up my alley and it proved perfect to wear with leggings or jeans. While I was paying, LOP spotted a two-toned grey strappy dress. She’d been looking for a Summery frock for an upcoming wedding in Turkey. Something festive, elegant and mom-friendly that would still allow carefree playing with her son. And there it was.

Successful shopping makes me hungry, so we headed over to “De Bijenkorf”, a huge luxurious department store, for a spot of lunch. At their Restaurant La Ruche we were spoilt for choice: fresh fruit juices, sandwiches that resembled works of art, sushi, wok dishes, colourful salads and delectable pastries. We toasted to Angie and all the YLF forum members over strawberry tartlets and yummy chocolate gateau!

On our way out the three of us drooled over the Karen Millen collection and a gorgeous navy & white Armani frock with amazing detailing. At H&M, LOP and Zeynep bought black leggings, and convinced me to go for grey leggings with a bit of sheen to them (jazzercise anyone?).

Vila, a budget-friendly Danish brand with a somewhat minimalistic feel comes highly recommended. Zeynep went home with a fab white button-down tunic and a dressy sleeveless top in a gorgeous purplish blue. We also witnessed an on the spot style transformation: in the dressing room LOP unbuttoned her beautiful white & yellow ruffled cardi, revealing her blue cami, popped on the just bought leggings under her denim pencil skirt and topped it all off with a skinny belt. “Now I feel like myself again”, she sighed relieved. Fun!

Suddenly a slight panic broke out because we thought the shops were open until 7 pm, when in fact, they close at 5 pm. We hurried over to another H&M and then sprinted to Zara. Good thing we persevered, since LOP walked away with a patterned black scarf and the cutest pair of green pumps.

Catching our breath we plopped down on a terrace to enjoy a well-deserved drink and admire our purchases. Drinks turned into dinner, during which we chatted happily about language learning, eating Nutella straight from the jar, how to start your own book club (wine is the secret ingredient apparently), Indonesian and Turkish cuisine, luxury brand shopping in Istanbul, American menswear, children’s clothing, dressing for a corporate environment…

It truly was a marvelous day, and we were especially pleased to discover that as three solo shoppers at heart, we hit it off so well and actually made the perfect shopping team. Thank you Angie for creating the opportunity to make this happen! And thank you LegacyOfPearl and Zeynep, you are two super sweet lasses and a dream to shop with!

The commercial capital of Israel is a modern, energetic, eclectic and in parts pretty gritty, urban city. Bauhaus buildings, high-tech sky scrapers, upmarket restaurants, fabulous cafes, arty quarters, shopping centers, bustling nightlife and golden beaches grace the shores of a breathtaking Mediterranean Sea. There is lots to like about this wonderful Middle Eastern city.

Tel Aviv is not a religious hub like Jerusalem and this is clearly reflected in the street style of its inhabitants. Modesty is not the norm and trendy fashion is prevalent on every street corner. Generally, the people of Tel Aviv dress casually, but with loads of sass, edge and Middle Eastern twist. The city and it’s street style reminds me a bit of Barcelona. In a nutshell, this is what I saw:

• Long, long hair: Curly, layered or straight – you name it and we saw it, worn loose most of the time. Israelis are often dark and exotic looking, but occasionally you’d see a fair skinned redhead or dark blonde walk by. Needless to say I did not look remotely local.
• Sunglasses: The biggest fashion accessory of all.
• Knitted tops, knitted tops and more knitted tops: This is the city of knits. I can count the number of woven tops that I saw on two hands, which includes the ones that I wore. Cool, clingy, cotton jersey tops with intricate draping and ruching details reigned supreme. Quite Grecian and arty in silhouette.
• Flashdance style: Several women sported the Irene Cara single bare-shouldered look. An interesting 80’s influence amidst a strong ethnic mood.
• Knitted dresses: Semi-ruffled, knee-length or shorter wrap and Roman inspired styles in body hugging, cotton-rich knits were everywhere. A good solution for a hot weather.
• Leggings: A city that prefers knits makes leggings a no-brainer. They were either worn with tunics and denim jackets and gladiators, or on their own with tiny tops. You had to see it to believe it. Tel Aviv street style oozes positive body image.
• Skinny Jeans: 95% of the denim was skinny or straight.
• Harem pants: If this look is going to fly anywhere, it’s in the Middle East. Trendy stores were full of every conceivable variation of this type of silhouette: knitted, woven, solid, patterned, striped, long, short and even jumpsuit form. Lasses were sporting this vibe on the streets too. I’m not a fan of the trend, but it didn’t look half as bad once a pretty Israeli girl with long cascading curly hair added a tight top, denim jacket and killer gladiators. The ethnic flavour of the silhouette worked well in this geographical location. It just goes to show that different styles work in different parts of the world.
• Harem jeans: It’s the first time I’ve seen this item and it’s awful. Baggy harem styling does not work in rigid denim with five pockets and topstitching. Women in these looked like they were wearing nappies. Not so fab.
• Gladiators and thong sandals: Heavenly. It was the number one type of shoe on the street and in stores. I adore this look and enjoyed seeing it worn to perfection. The new sandal bootie also came out to play.
• Flip flops: The cheap, rubbery kind was pretty common on men, women and children. There is no getting away from the epidemic, especially since Tel Aviv lies on a beach. But I’m pleased to say that they were not the norm.
• Ballet flats, flat knee-high boots and Converse: Women were wearing these if they weren’t wearing gladiators, thong sandals or flip flops.
• Scarves: After sunglasses, linen and cotton scarves were the next most popular accessory. Loved it.
• Ethnic jewelry: Tel Aviv style is not glitzy. Jewelry is earthy, natural and avant-garde, which works well with the casual style of dress. It’s not the type of place you’d expect to find people wearing retro Chanel-esque chunky pearls.
• Neutrals: Women predominantly wore grey, taupe, white, black and all sorts of other natural, murky mid tones. Very few brights.
• Matte: Leather was seldom shiny and usually deliberately dull and weathered-looking. This also worked well with the ethnic and arty integrity of Tel Aviv style.
• Large tote bags and slings: As in most cities, it’s all about practical totes and cross body bags.
• Cleavage and bare mid riffs: Slim or curvy, Tel Aviv women proudly show lots of skin. Most of the time it was appropriately alluring, which impressed me no end. Woman generally look natural, avoid wearing loads of makeup, sport flat shoes and dress casually. That coupled with oodles of self assurance makes cleavage work.

My take on Tel Aviv street style is positive even though it’s very different to my own look. People are hip and stylish in a low-key and relaxed kind of a way. No gear, no slobs, and lots of attitude. Fabulous.

Leggings, skinnies, cross body bags, weathered totes, sunglasses, scarves, thong sandals, wedges, Converse and knitted tops till the cows come home.

A knitted dress with lots of cleavage, flat riding boots, one of the few woven tops I saw with a scarf, a bare-shouldered look “Flashdance” style, more leggings, skinnies and large totes. Lots of knitted tops.

Micro-check skinnies, short shorts, gladiators and more leggings, knitted tops, large totes, sunglasses and cleavage. Colours are earthy and hair is very long.

A good example of casual ethnic jewelry, usually made of wood, resin or leather. I grew accustomed to seeing this type of accessory with super long, wavy hair.

Today’s post about the shopping part of our fabulous Manhattan gathering was written by arty and colourful New Jersey native and ex-Manhattan resident Maya, a long time YLF supporter and cherished forum member.

Angie was in Manhattan last week and met with a few forum members for a day of eating and shopping. Most of us were seeing each other for the first time, but there were no awkward moments and the entire day was a tremendous success. After breakfast, we immediately hit the dazzling array of shops in Soho. It was bitterly cold, but we bundled up in our hats, boots, and gloves for a stroll down Broadway.

Our first stop was H&M, where I found plenty of gems: a waistcoat, a fuchsia blazer, and a sweet printed trapeze top. Angie had me try on the waistcoat over the trapeze top and I was over the moon. I probably wouldn’t have picked up these pieces on my own, thinking that they wouldn’t work together. The lesson I took from this is to try EVERYTHING. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

At breakfast, Laura showed us a beautiful Tory Burch top that had unfortunately become a wardrobe orphan. This is where Angie’s talent really came through. Laura tried on the blouse on in the H&M fitting room. Angie borrowed a few accessories from me and Tanya, and totally transformed it from unwearable to fantastic! It was quite a treat to see her at work, doing what she does best and breathing new life into something that almost made the trash pile. Laura looked amazing in a skinny belt and a short, chunky necklace.

Our next stops were Uniqlo, Mango, Zara and Ann Fontaine. Angie came away with an adorable gray jumper dress, while Tanya found a beautiful ruffle blouse and purple umbrella (umbrellas are accessories too!).

Our last stop for the day was a Macy’s in midtown that I generally avoid at all costs. This is the world’s largest department store building, covering an entire city block. Navigating through this labyrinth can be an overwhelming experience, but it became less painful with an army of supporters and a specific goal in mind: to find dresses for Laura! Laura suddenly went from having no options to having too many! Eventually she narrowed them down to three amazing dresses.

On the way out, a black knit biker jacket was spotted in a medium on the wrong rack, but it was too big. Eventually Angie tracked it down in my size and I was over the moon once more. I had to return the fuchsia blazer to H&M to get it, but this was the statement piece of a lifetime and I don’t regret the trade-off one bit. It was a fabulous end to a fabulous day.

A year ago, I would have never imagined myself doing something like this. I actually dislike shopping, and my social circle is mostly people my age who are pretty similar to me. Despite that, I felt perfectly comfortable and at ease with the ladies of YLF, and I had a lot of fun shopping with them! We are different in many ways, but we had a marvelous time and were all able to find something to take home and love. We hit every price point from H&M to Ann Fontaine, with all different bodies, lifestyles, and ages. If there is one thing to take away from this experience, it’s that style truly is for everyone! If you get a chance to attend a YLF gathering, drop whatever plans you might otherwise have and do it! It was an unforgettable and amazing experience that I hope to replicate again soon!

We’ve just returned from eight days of work and play in the Big Apple. We had a fabulous time and have lots to share. Welcome to New York week at YLF!

Winter in NYC can be nasty. Temperatures were predominantly below freezing, ranging from 12 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit (-11 to 3 Celsius). Days were either filled with brilliant sunshine, or snow, ice and slush. Despite the bitter cold, most people were pretty stylish. I’ll admit that you’ll see it all in Manhattan on any given day. From woman dressed in sweat pants, running shoes and Uggs, to those adorned in designer brands from head to toe. But generally, there are strong Manhattan style trends and my impressions are as follows:

• Black, black and more black: It’s not a myth. New Yorkers wear a lot of black. Black outwear, clothing, accessories and footwear reigned supreme. If it wasn’t black, it was brown, dark grey or some other neutral. Occasionally, crimson or bordeaux cropped up but that was it. There was very little Winter white or colour of any description. Street fashion in Manhattan during the Winter months is very dark.
• Boots: Both casual and dressy, boots were hands down the most common form of footwear. Knee-high boots worn over jeans, leggings and slacks or with skirts was popular because it’s extremely practical. Ankle boots and Uggs were also big and so were adorable wellington boots on wet slushy days. Heels on footwear were generally low or flat. Occasionally, you’d see a three-inch heeled boot or pump walk by but not often. I was relieved to see that athletic sneakers were in the minority, but my mind boggled when I saw the odd lass in sockless ballet flats. In frost biting temperatures, I just don’t get it.
• Wool Coats and Puffers: Tailored puffer coats were as popular as wool coats and the overall aesthetic was stylish and put together. Most coats were knee-length but extra long coats were abundant too. The “walking sleeping bag look”, or ankle-length puffer coat was not uncommon. Not so fab, but I’ll bet super warm.
• Knitwear and lightweight jackets: Both men and woman wore these layers under their coats. The extra layer is warm and made for a structured and polished look once coats came off indoors.
• Pants and skirts: Most woman wore pants, slacks and jeans, but I saw women in skirts and dresses too. Nice.
• Accessories: Scarves, headgear and gloves were not only an absolute necessity but quite the fashion statement. Virtually everyone wore Winter accessories in all shapes and forms. Ear muffs were also popular as were sunglasses when the sun came out. I spotted several pairs of 80’s inspired legwarmers worn over leggings and jeans. It looked really sweet. Excellent idea! I was envious of the look.
• Oversized Totes: Huge handbags are usually the norm in cities where people commute on foot or with public transport. I don’t think I saw anyone with a small bag during the day.
• Real Fur: There was plenty of real fur on the streets. Women were either decked out in fur from head-to-toe or embraced it as a trim on coats and accessories.

This is the second time I’ve visited NYC in the dead of Winter and my fashion and style perceptions are much the same. People do not generally wear athletic gear when they go about their day and that’s a style blessing. For those of you who have visited, or lived in Manhattan, what’s your take on New York Style? Tomorrow I’ll give you a rundown of what I wore while I was there so stay tuned.

Update: Wendy just pointed us to this New York Times slideshow that does a wonderful job of capturing Manhattan street style in the slush and snow.

Congratulations Corey! You win the $250 T.J. Maxx and Marshalls gift voucher. You were a clear winner so we didn’t need to use the tie-breaker question, but the competition was fierce.

• Tanya and Cynthia were very close behind, but weren’t quite as complete on question 2. We accepted “yes”, but a more accurate answer is that T.J. Maxx and Marshalls carry both in-season and previous season merchandise. Bonus points went to those who mentioned that more than 85% of the stock is in-season.
• Christine, Cherylp and Mishie were also in contention, but lost by a hair on question 1. We gave extra points to people that went beyond the information in the TJX corporate website, or at least acknowledged in their answers that these numbers applied to end 2007.
• Antje deserves an honorable mention. She went completely above and beyond, citing her sources and calling the companies to get accurate information on the number of stores. Sadly, she missed on question 4. Although these stores don’t carry couture clothing, they do carry couture brands. Designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs run both couture and prêt-a-porter collections, and it’s their prêt-a-porter collections that you’ll find at some T. J. Maxx stores.
• People were tripped up by question 5 on the differences between the two TJX off-price chains. Many answers talked about Marshalls, but few mentioned the aspects that are unique to T. J. Maxx.

On behalf of the TJX team, thank you so much for your thoughtful suggestions regarding the shopping experience. It was great to see the positive sentiment about the TJX concept and their retail chains in your responses. The chart below shows the four clear themes that emerged in the feedback: improvements to the organization of the store, improvements to the dressing rooms, more information regarding the stock in the store, and a wider range of available sizes.

Top suggestion topics and the percentage of entrants who mentioned them.