Inside: Audrey Grace Pop-Up Boutique

The Audrey Grace pop-up boutique on the High Line is like a sugary cupcake coming to life - it just might be the girliest shopping experience that I've ever had in the best possible way.  Everything is so irresistibly charming and adorable that you want or need it all.

Audrey Grace is a boutique that is actually located in Jackson Mississippi.  It was started by Jaclyn Bethany who travelled the world to source products for her boutique and culled brands from Australia, Thailand, England, France and from the USA.

The pop-up has a combination of artwork, photography and both vintage and vintage-look designs that will transport you back in time.  there are 40 custom dresses that were made especially for the shop by designers including Erin Fetherson, Rachel Antonoff, Orla Kiely, Jill Stuart, Manoush, Samantha Pleet, Kelsey Genna, Wayward Daughter, Sretsis, Lucy in Disguise, Wren and many more.  Cat print dresses, tutus, sailor dresses, hearts, bows, sparkle, ruffles, lace and the whimsical all abound.

Also lovely illustrations of women like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Marie Antoinette are posted on every available surface from Artists/Photographers Dan Estabrook, Stacey Mark, Jessie Lily Adams,  Marie Zucker, Gunnar Larson, Jeannine Tann, Caitlin Shearer, Katy Smail, and many more.


I stopped by the launch party on Friday night and The Jane Doze was DJ'd the event as guests enjoyed cake, pastel candies and wine courtesy of Penfolds (Red) as they shopped the night away.

As I entered the boutique I saw models decked out in party dresses posed with the super fun oversized balloons from Geronimo.
Price points varied greatly with an adorable but simple rabbit ring for just $10 to vintage dresses for $45-110 to brand new custom designer merchandise from $100-450.  Prices are clearly marked for most part on neatly written labels.

Although the space is not huge there are racks upon racks of unique merchandise to explore.  I ended up snagging a great condition vintage shirt dress with pleated skirt in Creamsicle Orange for $50.  There is a fairly large sized communal changing area available with a rack and full length mirror to review your finds.

For every girly girl out there, this pop-up is well worth the trek to the West Side.  Bonus since it's literally right beside the 26th Street entrance to the High Line, why not take a scenic stroll afterwards.


Who: Audrey Grace Pop-Up Boutique
What: A week long Marie Antoinette-inspired fashion wonderland featuring special looks by Erin Fetherson, Alexandra Grecco, Rachel Antonoff, LuLu Frost and more.
When: March 23-28, 2012. Fri 8pm-10pm Launch Event - RSVP here, Sat-Wed 11am-8pm
Where: The Highline Loft, 508 West 26th St (b/n 10th & 11th Ave), 5th Floor

Orla Kiely x Unliqo Launch

I love holidays!  No work, time to catch up with friends and to time to see what's new at Uniqlo (why can't every day be a holiday??!)  A couple of  friends were in town and wanted to check out the Orla Kiely collab so we stopped by the 5th Avenue location earlier today. 

If you're a fan of Kiely's aesthetic, you'll like this collab.  Her prints dominate and are at the forefront for most pieces from T's to button up shirts, to dresses, to slippers and to scarves.  

 

The pieces are easy to pair with lots of basics from Uniqlo's main collection including belts, cardigans, sweaters and trousers so if you're looking for an entire outfit, the store has you covered.

In terms of pricing, the button ups are $39.90, T's are $19.90 and scarves are going for just $12.90 a pop!  Sizing was available across the board for items though smaller sizes seemed to be dwindling down.

In my opinion I thought the scarves were definitely the highlight.  Bold prints, bright colors and easy on the pocket - what else do you need?  They're great accent pieces that can add a pop of color to an otherwise ho-hum office uniform or can spruce up your casual wear for the weekend. 

Thanks to a tip from a reader in an earlier post, we learned that they were giving away free totes with every purchase.  The tote itself is actually pretty nice!

Uniqlo X Orla Kiely: Window Display

A couple of days ago on my walk to K-town, I walked pass the Herald Square Uniqlo store on 34th and spotted the new Orla Kiely display window setup. 

 

Orla Kiely is a London based designer who recently opened up shop in NYC this past year and is known her great prints which are clean and subtle yet bold.  The pieces are easy to wear, fun and add a bit of flair to the rest of your outfit.  The collection drops in stores on Feb 20, 2012 so mark your calendars!