Azalea Boutique

All that you always wanted to know about your favorite store!

BFFAE

Best Friends Forever And Ever

Growing up on a cul-de-sac in the East Bay definitely had it’s perks.  Moving in to a developing part of town, meant that playing “Harriet The Spy” on the new neighbors without seeming like a little creep was totally possible.  It meant that my best friend and neighbor, Heather, and I could cruise up and down our street for blocks and blocks in her Barbie Power Wheels Jeep without getting lost.  It meant that our backyards were huge, we had fireplaces, and we could stay out all day–from morning ’til dinner.  This was the perfect time for Best Friends.

I no longer fit in to a Barbie car but new, grown-up friendships are made through other, more grown-up experiences.  Friendships these days mean that BFFs go for drinks.  We vent to each other about those pesky 5lbs. that won’t budge.  We’re allowed to wear makeup whenever we want.  Most importantly, we get to ditch our Claire’s accessories (love ya, Y-necklaces) and hand braided friendship anklets for something a little more substantial– a little more, well,  gold. In God We Trust’s Best F*ckin Friends necklace fits the bill.

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In God We Trust- Best F*ckin’ Friends | $180

And now, for some of our fave BFFs:

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Daria & Jane     +     Mary-Kate & Ashley

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George & Brad     +     The Cruise/Beckham Clan

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Bert & Ernie

Bololicious

Bololicious

A Jenni Witt Story

One of my first jobs was Store Manager at The Bead Shop in Palo Alto in the mid-90s.  I remember looking at this dusty wall of colored woven leather rope, tarnished conchos and rusty bolo tips and saying to the owner, “Janice, it’s time.  We have to mark down the bolo ties.”  And she was like, “But… they used to sell so well!  We used to sell yards of this stuff…” And I had to show her how when I moved the end of the leather over, there was a dark spot where the sun had faded around it and ruined the yardage.

It was 1995, the year the Bolos died.  And now they have been resurrected!  Sexily!  And questionably, as gay lego men.

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Acne

All for the Mountain Avalanche Bolo Fortune Favors the Brave Sexy Bolo

Left: All For The Mountain

Right: Fortune Favors The Brave

Trendspotting: Golden Globes Fashion

Have to admit, last night was the first time in ages that I’ve actually remembered to sit down and watch the Golden Globes.  Usually, I’ll wait until the results and best/worst dressed slideshows have been posted to the internet to give myself an abbreviated re-cap.  I was actually pretty pleased with the show last night.  Ricky Gervais seemed to behave and Natalie Portman’s “He’ll sleep with me!” joke left me with just the right amount of uneasy.

More importantly, most of the ladies (and gents) attending the ceremony looked on point.  These nine dresses left a lasting impression on my 10-second attention span.  Unfortunately, they didn’t make Clare Danes turn around on the red carpet because this pic does her dress no justice.  Which dresses do you think stole the show? (ahem, Anne Hatheway)

PinksReds-Golden Globes

Sapphire-Golden Globes

Emerald-Golden Globes

XOX

:::::: S A L E ::::::

Azalea Boutique SALE

Peek below to see our FAVE pieces!

xox

Best of Sale

It’s that time again! Time to get it while the gettin’ is good.  We just marked down a TON of awesome Fall goods at 50%off!!

Here are our fave pieces for Men and Women:

Women's Sale Jan2011

1. Mike Gonzalez Ethen Sweater Wrap in Caviar | $387 $194

2. A.L.C. Scarlett Dress | $396 $198

3. Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair Mixed Melton Wool Coat | $1,000 $500

Men's Sale Jan2011

1. Billy Reid Delta Lug Boot | $525 $263

2. Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair Super X Shirt in Grey Pinstripe | $175 $88

3. Rachel Comey Caper Padded Boot in Leather and Black Canvas | $363 $255

XOX

A.P.C. DENIM : Back In Stock

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A.P.C. Denim is back in stock! We just received a huge shipment in all styles and most sizes. Give us a call to secure your pair or, order them online HERE.

Classics

HipsterandPetitStandard

Put Your Best Foot Forward With 50% OFF!

50% Off Select Denim and Shoes

Sale valid on select, in-store merchandise only.   Please see an associate for details.

XOX

Maria! Maria! Maria!

In honor of the new “Maria” style of J  Brand that we are all OBSESSED with (hello comfortable legging-like hand feel, flattering high-rise and perfect wear-with-flats ankle length) we wanted to take the time to highlight some of our favorite stylish “Marias” through the years.

Maria OlympiaMaria Hews

Natalie Wood as Maria in West Side Story

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Maria Sharapova - Tennis player/Hardbody. In January of 2010 she signed a $70 million endorsement deal with Nike, the highest amount ever for a female athlete. Get it girl!

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Maria Callas- Scandalous Greek opera singer, she also acted in Pasolini’s Medea.

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Who’s your favorite Maria?

XOX

Erin Wasson Channels Cleopatra In New Lookbook

It’s no surprise that Low Luv is one of our favorite jewelry lines.  We’ve blogged about it more times than I can remember, we brought Erin in to showcase the new collection in mid-2010, and nearly everyone who works here owns a piece (or three).  It’s an understatement to say that we were excited to see these gorgeous pictures of the new collection.  Which piece is your favorite?!

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(photos sourced from Refinery 29)

XOX

Q&A With Anna Korte

Anna Korte

To get the year started off right, we’re sharing an interview from I X ASHLEY with Anna Korte from A.K. Vintage.

Anna, a Portland based jewelry designer, ensures that all of her pieces are handmade from vintage, local, and sustainable materials in Portland, OR.  Since 2002, her collection has drawn inspiration from nature’s geometry, literature, history, and the styles of eras past. (source)

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Q & A

X: How would you describe the AK aesthetic?
AK: AK Vintage has a clean architectural aesthetic. But, the style and vibe is mixed- I think it’s about one part ancient civilization and one part modern.

X: What is the concept behind the line?
AK: It’s design-minded first, sustainability second and affordability third. In other words- AK offers a stand-out but, on-trend look while using authentic vintage metals and recycled leather with an approachable price tag.

X: What sets you apart from other jewelry lines?
AK: It really doesn’t look like anything else out there!

X: Who or what is you greatest design inspiration at the moment?
AK: I’m super into interiors. And, at the moment, I’m getting lost in inspiration within this book called ‘Handcrafted Modern’ by Leslie Williamson. It. Is. So. Good.

X: What is your personal favorite piece from your current line?
AK: I love the Patterns in the Sand necklace! I’ve been wearing it with EVERYTHING!

X: When can we look forward to seeing new unique pieces from AK?
AK: The next AK collection launches in February 2011!

X: Any exciting projects or collaborations currently happening?
AK: I’ve been dabbling in fiber art for the past year on the side. I’ve installed several of these works in public and private spaces. They’re large, geometrical and abstract installations that are made with string and nails. And, I LOVE creating them!! My friend Emily Baker of Sword+Fern, a gorgeous and magical treasure shop here in Portland, just posted about my work on her blog. Check it out here.

X: Any advice for young aspiring designers?
AK: Don’t hesitate, just do it! There’s this great quote I read early on that brought me relief and really helped me make my first leap toward my dreams as a working designer. It’s by Martin Luther King- ‘You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step’.

(interview sourced from I X ASHLEY)

XOX

Puttin’ On The Lips

I may not have made my mind up about how I’ll be spending my first minutes of 2011 but, there’s one thing that’s for sure: I’ll be dressed to the nines.  Whether it’s sequins on my dress, feathers in my hair, kitschy 2011 glasses, an amazing statement ring or glam makeup, I will be dressed in my best.

We’ve been going over outfit possibilities all week and have all come to the same conclusion: These Pictures Will End Up On The Internet.  This means that not only does our outfit have to flatter but we can’t be caught on film (well, memory card) with a case of the “How-am-I-so-drunk-it’s-only-10:30-I-could-have-sworn-I-wore-makeup-tonight” faces.

Our Assistant Buyer, Tamara has come to the rescue.  She will show you how to use things you probably already own (and if you don’t it’ll only set you back $4) to make sure you’re the talk of the party. (in a good way)

Young Frankenstein–Puttin On The Ritz : Watch this vid (ahem, our Puttin On The Lips pun) and get ready to glam it up with Glitter Lips!

What You Need

We love MAC’s Russian Red, a cheap-y brush from the Craft Store, and large-particle Red Glitter

2lipstick

Step 1: Apply Lipstick

Step 3: Glitter

Step 2: Bring on the glitter!

Step 4: Don't Spill!

Oops! Don’t Spill! (seriously, glitter will be everywhere for the rest of your life)

Ready For A Close-Up!

Ready for your close-up!

Lookin' Hot!

Tamara, looking so 2011.

XOX

Nighttime Nails

As I type this post, with NYE mere days away, I am realizing that I am in DIRE need of a manicure (Hello, cuticles!).  I think I’m playing it understated on the outfit front this year so my nails have to be outta this universe.  I’m thinking glitterxdiscoxsparkles galore… Here are a few of our fave ideas!

This gold has hexagon shaped glitters, and you can glop it on the tips for a french manicure that looks like you dipped your fingers in a bowl of solid gold nuggets, or you can do like this – one coat over a dark background to emulate the night sky!

SephoraOPIGoldGlitter

I love these Deborah Lippmann shades, too because they have a richness to them that makes them more sophisticated than your usual box o’ crayon colors.  Reminds me of Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface or Daryl Hannah in Splash!

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Moon Manicure is so perfect for nighttime festivities.  See this twist on the lunar nail trend sourced from a vintage Cosmo feature:

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I’m loving this look! You can swap out the Robin Red pictured here for black and gold or navy with silver… Wait, SILVER AND GOLD. So fab.

source

Ready to put these ideas to the test? Call us at 415-861-9888 and book an appointment for the Z Beauty Lounge. We have a HUGE selection of polishes that will have you looking so 2011.

XOX

Hurry! Only 3 Days Until 2011!

You have THREE DAYS to nab a NYE dress at 50% off.  Get it while the gettin’s good!

Our recommendations:

ALCbacklacedress

ALC

Lace Back Dress (available in Black/Grey)

Bourdin Silk Pyramid Dress

Mike Gonzalez

Silk Triangle Dress (available In-Store)

Andromeda Drs 1

Acne

Andromeda Mini-Dress in Blue

Get The Look: Ombre Fringe Earrings

With 2010’s hot Ombre hairstyles (see Rachel Bilson), dip-dyed JBrands, and Chanel’s runway we can’t help but hop on the Fade-to-Black train. There’s something so sexy about mixed metals and Ombre earrings are the perfect way to incorporate them into your wardrobe.  Get your Ombre inspiration here and on your ears at Azalea!

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Chanel

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Iosselliani Long Fringe Skull Earrings | $198

This Year’s Top 5 TOMS

It may be raining cats and dogs in San Francisco today, but that won’t stop the die-hard TOMS fans from braving the wet sidewalks in their canvas slip-ons.  For the last few years, TOMS have been a Bay Area mainstay and it seems to be catching on.  We receive orders from all around the country for these feel-good shoes.  In a full range of patterns, colors, textures, and styles, it seems that there’s a TOMS shoe for everyone.

Do you have a pair of TOMS? Which ones are your fave? I’m eying the Highlands Botas!

Check out this year’s bestsellers:

goldherringbone

Gilded Herringbone Classic Slip Ons | $54

brownbotas

Highlands Botas in Brown | $79

pinkglitter

Pink Glitter Classic Slip-Ons | $54

greyfleckMENS

Men’s Grey Wool Fleck Botas| $79